Three things

My health has been not the best this last wee while, but wee things have made life a lot better.

1. I have actually achieved some reading. I finished Elizabeth May's The Falconer, and I enjoyed it. It's a nice light YA fantasy set in Edinburgh, and I'll be looking out for the sequel when it appears.

2. I knitted a chewing gum cosy. Seriously.

This is amusing me much more than it should, but doesn't that just bring a smile to your face?

3. Gingerbread syrup. Okay, I haven't actually made this yet, but I have everything together, and I have free time on Saturday. This stuff is completely yummy in coffee, and I'm looking forward to it a ridiculous amount.

Making Monday

Despite the almost complete radio silence lately, I've still been knitting away.

First of all, I finished off the handmade towel.

I am really pleased at how this has turned out, especially the hanging loop as I'm very much a beginner when it comes to crochet.

I started another washcloth for part of a gift, this time with a checkerboard pattern in the centre.

It looks a little washed out in the pale winter light, but it's a lovely teal colour. Again I'm using Wendy Supreme cotton.

The Ebbs shawl is coming along as well.

Again it looks a little washed out colourwise, but you can see the shape starting to form, and I love the colour combination.

For myself, I've been knitting a pair of owl fingerless mitts.

This is my knitting group knitting which means it's not knitting up the fastest. (It turns out there is only so much I can multi-task at one time. :D ) The pattern is from the June 2012 issue of Simply knitting, and I've knitted it before and will probably knit it again. This time it's in Wendy Serenity, and I've made the cuff a little longer.

And of course secret project number two is coming along nicely as well.

Making Monday

Apart from being very behind in NaNoWriMo, I have actually been knitting lately though I haven't talked about it much.

I've just cast off on a small towel as part of my Gran's Christmas present. It's bee stitch with a garter stitch border, which I adore and find great for knitting when I'm having a blether or watching tv. I used a whole ball of Wendy Supreme Cotton in DK - I literally had about two inches of cotton left when I finished the cast off.

Towel measuring 13 inches by 16 inches

All that's left is to wash it, convert one of the tails to a hanging loop and weave the other one in. I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out.

Also in Christmas knitting is the Ebbs shawl I'm knitting for Mum in Yarn Pony Mustang. It's so delightfully squishy, and it's going to look wonderful when it's finished.

I'm only just at the first colour change, but it knits quite quickly at the moment.

Secret project number two is still a secret but the knitting continues on that, and I'm pleased with how it's looking so far.

What I'm reading 16/11/13

A short one this week as the last couple of weeks have been hectic with birthdays, vet and hospital visits (everyone is fine but stress levels are still high), and a job interview (I think it went okay, I was certainly less nervous than the last one). Oh and being sucked down the rabbit hole of watching Arrow. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed something so much, and I can't wait to see the second season.

What are you currently reading?

I'm not sure if it still counts given I haven't really gone much further, but I'm still in the middle of The Thousand Names. I've started The Falconer by Elizabeth May, and it's a quick enjoyable read so far. I've also started a reread of Broken Blade by Kelly McCullough, and I'm enjoying it as much second time around.

What did you recently finish reading?

I went ahead and DNF'd Jeffery Deaver's XO. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The new Lynley book, Just One Evil Act, has just come in for me at the library, and a skim test makes me think I might actually finish this one.

What I'm reading (the two month edition)

I didn't mean to take such a long break from posting, but my health took an unexpected turn and started kicking my backside. I'm definitely on the mend now though, and I have quite a few posts lined up to share. First though, it's time to catch up with what I've been reading. 


What are you currently reading?

I'm still in the middle of The Thousand Names by Django Wexler which continues to be more enjoyable than I thought I would find it given that is it mainly military based fantasy at the moment. The description of a fantasy version of Sharpe seems very accurate, but Wexler writes well enough and has created characters that keep me wanting to read on despite that. (Nothing wrong with Sharpe, it just isn't usually my cup of tea.)

Technically I'm still in the middle of Jeffery Deaver's XO but I've stalled. It's rather mehish and I've no real desire to go back. I suspect this might be a DNF.

What did you recently finish reading?

Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs. It was the reading equivalent of comfy old slippers. Not brilliant and much the same feel as her previous ones but enjoyable and good to curl up to. Then there was Bones Are Forever which was much the same, except for one bit where I want to shake one of the characters or throw the book across the room. Ryan really should have known better (especially with what is revealed later on), and I can't quite believe Reichs did that. I'm not too sure if I'll read the latest one yet.

Oor Wullie. It made me giggle, and again like comfy old slippers, but ones that were my favourite to start with for a reason.

Thankless in Death - J.D. Robb. I really enjoyed the character interactions in this one, which is pretty much the only reason I'm keeping reading this series. It was great to curl up with on a wet afternoon when I was stuffed with the cold. 
   
Uncommon Criminals, Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story, Perfect Scoundrels - Ally Carter. Reasonably light-hearted teenage thief shenanigans? All over it. I have such a soft spot for this series, even if it does require a bit of suspension of disbelief at times. I finished the last one disappointed there wasn't more which is a big change from most of the books I've read recently.
       
Whiskey Beach - Nora Roberts. It could have been any one of her recent standalones, but it was a all right enough read especially as I was in the mood to know exactly what to expect. 
       
Magic Rises - Ilona Andrews. I really enjoyed it. I raced through reading it, and I can't wait to read the next one.

Red-Headed Stepchild, The Mage in Black - Jaye Wells. Red-headed Stepchild read like a first book, a little info dumpy and clunky in places, but I liked it enough to carry on reading. The second in the series read a little better, but I was quickly growing tired of the just about all the characters. I flicked through the other books in the series and that convinced me I really didn't want to carry on reading. I can see why they would appeal to people, but I just didn't like them enough to read any more.

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson. I absolutely loved it! Definitely going on my to buy pile.

The Thief's Gamble, The Swordsman's Oath, The Gambler's Fortune, The Warrior's Bond and The Assassin's Edge by Juliet E McKenna. I'm absolutely head over heels for this series. It was a reread for me, but it's been such a while since I originally read them that I didn't care at all. I sort of resented the fact I had to put the books down to go to work or do other necessary things, and I savoured every word.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Not sure really. I just want to get The Thousand Names finished, but I suspect I will be buying and reading A Few Further Tales of Einarinn by McKenna as well.

What I'm reading 3/8/13

Last week was rather hectic so I ended up smooshing two posts into one.

What are you currently reading?

I'm in the middle of Kathy Reich's which is a fast, comfy read perfect for break times. I'm enjoying it, but there is a reason it's languished in the TBR pile for nearly 2 years (I like the characters enough, I'm just a little bored of the 'read one read them all feeling' that I've started to get during the last couple of books.)

What did you recently finish reading?

Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold. I loved it - it's exactly my sort of scifi, and it wasn't so Miles-centric that it dragged for me. (I like Miles, I just like other characters more.)

Book of Souls by James Oswald. I wasn't as charmed by this one as his first one, mainly I think because I had been looking forward to it whereas the first in the series caught me by surprise. There were a few moments where it seemed a little repetitive, and I think the main plot would have worked better a book or two further into the series, but the characters were all just as engaging and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series (and not just because of the hanging thread at the end of the book!).

Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch. I raced through it and loved it. There were bits that made me laugh out loud, a tall order given the way I was feeling, and though I knew there was a twist coming, I was still shocked as hell by it. I can't wait for the next one!

The Thirteenth Sacrifice by Debbie Viguie. I thought it was a quick, enjoyable read and liked it enough to go looking for the next book in the trilogy. The second book, The Last Grave, got a bit weird for my liking and I ending up just skimming. After reading the preview chapter of the last book I don't think I'm too bothered about reading it. I'm actually quite disappointed since it seemed intriguing to start with, but I'm honestly not engaged enough to care about which way the story goes.

I started but didn't finish London Falling by Paul Cornell and The Corpse-Rat King by Lee Battersby. Both were nicely written but boiled down to not my cup of tea so there was no point forcing myself to keep reading.

I read the preview for the next Inspector Lynley book up on Elizabeth George's website. Aside from how badly it was formatted, I don't think I've ever gotten whiplash from reading something so short before. It reinforced the fact I am actually going to read the next book, but also the fact that I really should stay away from it as well because clearly it is not good for me (how can you keep on writing about a character you so obviously hate??)

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Thousand Names by Django Wexler came in on short loan for me so that, and possibly Kathy Reich's Bones are Forever. Oh and last year's Oor Wullie annual as I realised I never did get around to it, shock horror.

New projects

It feels so good to feel creative again after living in a perpertual brainfog for most of the beginning of the year. There are still ups and downs (there always will be), but I'm really excited to try new things out.

Dyeing!

My family brought back this delightful undyed skein of Wensleydale Yarn by West Yorkshire Spinners from holiday for me. It's got a lovely crisp feel to it, and I feel postively awash with the colour possibilitities. I need to investigate fully what sort of dye I want to use and various methods, but I think it wants to be a varigated pinky purple sort of colour.

Knitting with wire!

The urge to try and knit jewellery popped back into my head the other day. It's something I've been curious about before, but this time I found myself standing in front of the wire in our local Hobbycraft. I have a vague idea of what I want to knit first, but I need to have a play about with the wire and see how it knits up. I can't wait.

Spinning!

This one has been building for the last year or so, especially after having a couple of goes at shows this year. I've not bought anything yet, just started to read up on it, but I am very excited to have another go. I suspect one of the drop spindle learning kits will be making it's way to me from HilltopCloud come payday.

What I'm reading 17/7/13

What are you currently reading?

I'm a few pages further along in Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold (and still enjoying it), and I've just started flicking through Managing Ehler Danlos (type 3) Hypermobility Syndrome by Isobel Knight. It's rather more in depth than her last book, though still very readable, and I suspect I will be dipping in and out of it for a while.

What did you recently finish reading?

It's been a mainly disappointing week for books.

I ended up DNF'ing The Aylesford Skull by James P Blaylock. It was all right enough to dip in and out of as a break time read, but I tried to read it for more than ten minutes at a time, and I found I just didn't care. I liked some of the characters, just not enough to finish the book.

Hunted by Kevin Hearne. It was all right I suppose. It wasn't bad, but I found myself skimming passages, and I really only carried on reading because I'm reasonably invested with the characters at this point. I'll read the next book because I want to see where it goes from here, but this book felt like it was just filler

What do you think you’ll read next?

Book of Souls by James Oswald has just come in for me, and I can't wait to read it.

Knitted increases

One of the things I love about knitting is that there is always something new to learn or to appreciate. Lately for me it's been how different various increases can look.

Up until fairly recently, I've been doing increases whatever way was easiest as I've been knitting items where the look of it hasn't been hugely important. Cue Secret project number one.

It's a blanket made from mitred squares, a simple project that has been ideal for knitting whilst watching tv or when I'm brain dead. I'm following the method I first saw in Lorna Miser's Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting, and increasing one stitch either side of a stocking stitch ridge, and I grew curious as to how different the squares would look with different increases. Since the blanket is made up from squares, it really is the perfect project to footer about with and see what happens.

I started off with a KFB increase (knitting into the front and back of the same stitch) and you can see how less pronounced the ridge is on one side.

I wasn't too keen on how these looked so after a few of these squares, I moved on to trying an m1R (picking up the loop between stitches from the back and then knitting into the front of this new loop) increase.

Apart from the few slips ups at the bottom of the square (it turns out there is actually a point when you are too brain dead to knit even the simplest of patterns) you can see the ridge is equally prominent, and I much prefer the appearance of this square.

The experiment started off knitting with an m1L increase (the same but picking up from the front and knitting into the back) on the left hand side, and even that has a slight difference as you can make out the tiny holes. Actually I'm not sure what happened there - it's supposed to be an invisible increase, and often is with me, but I think the ridge is altering things slightly. I'll have to investigate that further.

Isn't it all just fun?:D

And of course, I also learned that lemon is not the best colour to show off these differences. Ah well, you live and learn.

What I'm reading 12/7/13

Hello again! It's seems like forever since I've managed to blog, but then I remember it's because I was busy surviving and recovering from a holiday with my siblings. It actually wasn't as bad as I feared, and I actually enjoyed myself (although it was hard to tell what was scarier: the rides or my siblings arguing over who got to push me!). I'm starting to get back into the swing of things so expect more updates soon. 

What are you currently reading?

At the minute, I'm only in the middle of The Aylesford Skull by James P Blaylock. I am dipping in and out of it as my breaktime read, but I'm not too sure about it. I'm intrigued enough to keep reading but I'm not exactly excited by it.

What did you recently finish reading?

I DNF'd Val McDermid's Place of Execution after I finally admitted I had lost all interest in it. I'm not sure why exactly, especially after the first part sucked me in so well, but I was just past the halfway point and the thought of reading the rest was just plain tiring.

Laidlaw by William McIlvanney. This one felt a little odd to me. I mean, I can see why it is such a recommended book, and how it set off the Scottish crime writing scene, and I did enjoy it, but I have no desire to either reread it or go on and read the other two in the series. I think it was the amount of different POV's that did it - I couldn't really latch onto anyone long enough to properly care about reading more. I'm glad I read it though.

Blade Reforged by Kelly McCullough. It was definitely worth the wait to read this one. I love the slow unveiling of the worldbuilding that keeps taking place, and the development of all the main characters is still fantastic. I said when I first started it that it was like rolling yourself up in your favourite quilt, and that feeling lasted through the whole book. There are throwbacks to previous books, some interesting new characters are introduced and things get a little political as well (always one of my favourite aspects). The whole book is littered with fantastic little details that make the world seem alive, and it feels like coming full circle from the first book. At the same time, new questions and plot threads are introduced so it feels like . The only criticism I would have was the absence of Faran felt a little odd, and perhaps a little forced, but that was my only quibble in what is an otherwise great book.

According to McCullough's website, there are going to be at least two more in the series, but it's going to be at December 2014 before the next one. I'm extremely pleased there is going to be more, but I can wait. The end of this one feels like a natural stopping point in the series, and whilst I'm still very eager for more, it's not quite as urgent as it was at the end of the last one. In the meanwhile, I'll definitely be rereading the series so far.

What do you think you’ll read next?

I'd really like to finish Bujold's Komarr as it sort of fell by the wayside, and Kevin Hearne's Hunted just came in at the library for me.

What I'm reading 26/6/13

It's been a busy couple of weeks for me, between my wee brother graduating uni, getting reading for holidays and various other bits and bobs. It certainly doesn't feel like a fortnight since I did the last reading Wednesday.

What are you currently reading?

I'm two thirds of the way through Laidlaw by William McIlvanney, and enjoying it so far. I've just started Blade Reforged by Kelly McCullough, and it's like rolling yourself up in your favourite quilt by which I mean I love it, and I had to hold myself back from reading it when it arrived this morning as there was this pesky thing called work I had to go to.

What did you recently finish reading?

Last week there was only a quick reread of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold due to brain-space issues, and I enjoyed it just as much this time as I did the first time.

This week, I raced through Natural Causes by James Oswald. It was another one of these hyped books that I thought lived up to the hype. It was incredibly easy to read, one of those books that you almost just sink into and look up later to find hours have gone by and you've read most of the book without being aware of time. There were a couple of moments where I laughed out loud, and I enjoyed both the characters and the plot. llI'll definitely be reading the next one when it's out in a week or two.

I also read The Mad Duke's Bride by Loretta Chase after seeing it recommended on Dear Author. I greatly enjoyed it, though I wish it would have been longer - it's a novella, and I do think it works at that length, but I quite adored the main characters and would have liked to have seen a little more past where it ended. I think I'll give Chase another go when I come across another one of her books. 

What do you think you’ll read next?

I really need to finish Laidlaw ASAP. After that I'm on holiday next week so I think it's going to be finishing Blade Reforged, and rereads of The Thief's Gamble by Juliet E McKenna and The Barbed Coil by J V Jones while I'm away and trying not to kill either my brother or sister.

Simple Hat

This year for father's day, part of my gift to Dad was a(nother) knitted hat. (He lost the last one when he was out walking the dog and asked especially for a new one. I did jokingly tell him that if he lost this one he wasn't getting another one, but he does appreciate knitted gifts so that's not likely to happen.)

My Dad is the type who likes simple patterns in nice yarns so picking the pattern was easy - a basic 2x2 rib for the brim, then 6x2 rib for the main part of the hat. The yarn itself was nearly as easy - a trip to my local McAree Brothers yielded two balls of this delightfully squishy wool/linen mix. On a sidenote, why do I have to discover these yarns just as they are being discontinued?

  

Simple ribbed hat, knitted with two balls of Gedifra Diandra on 6mm needles, kindly modelled by my wee brother

It was a dream to knit up, and only took an evening or two once I worked out my gauge. I ended up going down to 6mm needles from the recommended 9mm as I wanted a really dense fabric, and I also knitted it long enough to cover his ears. According to the dog walkers in my family, that's the perfect combination to stop ears getting cold and prevent earaches when out walking in the wet, windy, and frequently minging Scottish winter.

We'll just have to wait and see how long this one survives ...

What I'm reading 12/6/13

I've been a little quiet online lately becuase I've been a whirlwind of offline interaction, but I'm looking forward to catching up and hopefully sharing one or two of my adventures.

Onto this week's reading! 

What are you currently reading?

I'm back into Place of Execution by Val McDermid. Every time I put it down and think I'm not going to pick it up again, something else happens that draws me back in. I've also picked up Bujold's Komarr again.

What did you recently finish reading?

I ended up not finishing The City by Stella Gemmell after all. As I said before, there were a lot of intriguing ideas so I wish I had been able to, but I just didn't connect with the book at all. I've got bothing against the book, and I'll take a look when she writes her next one.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith. I have to say it definitely lived up to it's hype for me. Despite some of the POV changes making me do a double take, I think it was well written, the characters felt real (as I suspected I was all ROBIN!, but I grew quite fond of Strike as well as I kept reading), and I enjoyed the plot. It's billed as the first in a series so I'm really looking forward to the next one.

Shattered Pillars by Elizabeth Bear. I loved it. It was lyrical to read, hit so many of my buttons, and didn't feel like the middle book in a trilogy. I don't really have anything else to say as it really was one of those books that just hit all the right spots for me, but I am really looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.

What do you think you’ll read next?

I've got Laidlaw by William McIlvanney on short loan from the library so that at least.

Cacti, gin and yarn - a grand day out

Friday was our annual visit to Gardening Scotland, and as usual we had a great time. There is always so much to see and admire even if you don't end up buying half the show.

My first port of call is always the Craig House Cacti stand. Succulents are just about my favourite plants, and they always have a lovely display and a good range to buy.

This year's haul, from top to bottom: Dioscorea Elephanipes, Pachypodium saundersii (left), Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg'(right), Aeonium arboreum atropurpureum 'Schwarzkopf'.

The show is now the only time I ever buy succulents or cacti, and all of my plants from Craig House Cacti have survived for a good many years - my oldest at the moment is just past seven years of me owning it.

Then it was on to the Scot's Cheer stand. I love their Damson Gin, and this year there was a new variety of gin - gooseberry and ginger. So new they don't even have proper labels yet!

The damson gin is almost sweet and it's lovely with tonic, or even on it's own, and it's a favourite of mine to curl up with a good book. The gooseberry and ginger is also delightful - so summery and refreshing. I'll definitely be buying another bottle next year.

Then my last purchase of the day - yarn from Ripples Crafts, because of course I can't go anywhere without buying yarn. I'm quite glad we ran across the stall, as we didn't get a good look at the stand at the Edinburgh Yarn festival as it was so busy. Rightly so, as there are so many gorgeous yarns for sale.

It's a 4ply mix of wool and nylon, and I think that eventually it is going to be a pair of socks. None of the pictures I took really do the colour changes justice but this one is the best. The whole skein is a glorious mix of blues, purples and reds, and I just want to keep fondling it.

Last of all was the Allium stand in the floral hall. I love Alliums but I don't have the garden for them so I'm reduced to drooling over them at the show every year.

 

 I didn't get any other pictures of the many gorgeous displays and show gardens as I was too busy scooting about enjoying myself!

What I'm reading

This week has been rather minging to put it mildly.  Pretty much the only thing I have managed to do was read, so lets talk about books.

What are you currently reading?

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith. I hadn't planned on starting this just now, especially after glancing through the prologue and humming and hawwing about it. I forgot to bring another book for break time though, so I started it and ended up reading it at home as well. I was pleasantly surprised once I got past the prologue and I'm enjoying it so far. I suspect I'm going to be ROBIN! throughout the book but I'll have to wait and see as a certain person nicked it off me.

I also started The City by Stella Gemmell as it's still on the request list. I am not really feeling it right now though it's nicely written. I'm intrigued enough to keep reading though and see if I connect with it at all.

What did you recently finish reading?

Darkening Skies and Defiant Peaks by Juliet E McKenna. I loved them both. I'm going to have to reread the trilogy at some point to catch all the little details I missed, but that isn't going to be a hardship. I liked the repercussions that echoed through the books, and still adored most of the characters. I also loved all the insights into the various magic systems, and McKenna definitely has a writing style that sucks me in and want to not put the books down.

Worth Any Price by LIsa Kleypas. I mentioned to someone that the only reason I finished this book was because I couldn't get up to get anything else. It really was that bad. The characters fell completely flat, and it was more a case of telling that they had fallen in love with each other than showing it, and there was a bondage scene that made me want to through the book across the room. I'm not sure I'll be picking up another Kleypas as she has been more miss than hit for me.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Nothing new as I need to finish both I'm in the middle of.

Conquering Moss stitch! Or, playing with a pattern

It's been a long, tiring couple of weeks for me, and the weather has turned from gorgeous sunshine to the middle of winter overnight. On the bright side of life though, it's my Saturday off work, and I'm having fun playing with knitting and finally coming to grips with moss stitch.

 

It's going to be a fairly straight forward face/dish cloth with an owl motif in the middle, but I'm having a huge amount of fun figuring out the stitch counts, making the motif and generally putting my first pattern together. I don't know why I didn't try this before!

(Okay, I do know why - despite my science degree, my brain has up until recently had a hatred of all things maths related and thought a tension square needed more brain power than I had. Happily it turns out, my brain is more than up to the challenge.)

Maybe now I can over come my mental block on the top with moss stitch that I started and abandoned back before Christmas.

What I'm reading #4

My long weekend took rather more out of me than I anticipated, though the tea haul was certainly worthwhile. Let's not talk about that though, let's talk about books instead!


What are you currently reading?

I haven't touched Quiet by Susan Cain and A Place of Execution by Val McDermid since last time so I'm not sure if they really count.

I recently started Lois McMaster Bujold's Komarr, and I really enjoyed what I've read so far. I only put it down because I didn't have the spoons to carry on, and the omnibus edition I bought resembles a brick. It's certainly not the biggest one in my collection, but it was big enough to cause problems at the time.

The one I'm actively reading, i.e. I only put down about ten minutes ago, is Darkening Skies by Juliet E McKenna. It's the follow on Dangerous Waters (which I'll talk about below) and so far I am loving it.

What did you recently finish reading?

I finished one of Lois McMaster Bujold's novellas, Winterfair Gifts and I adored it. I don't really have much else to say about it really. I also reread her A Civil Campaign, and I think I loved it even more this time around. It was just so easy to sink into reading it, and I kept smiling as I read it. I think it's going to be a comfort read for me, and I can see myself rereading it repeatedly.

Dangerous Waters by Juliet E McKenna. I ended up enjoying it just as much as I thought I would, to the extent I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next book. McKenna managed that rare trick of making me care about reading about characters I wasn't particularly fond of, and she certainly has a knack with creating multifaceted characters. I enjoyed everything about it, from the world building, the characters, the politics, to the magic systems and the plot itself. I definitely have a soft spot for the wizards though, Jilseth in particular. I can see it growing better with rereads, and I definitely see that happening, as well as rereading McKenna's earlier stuff sometime later this year.

Calculated in Death by J D Robb. It was an okay entry in the series. I think by this point I am mainly reading for the characters, especially the Dallas - Peabody interaction but it was an enjoyable enough way to pass a tired afternoon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

I don't know why I bother answering this one as every week I turn around and read something else! :D I'll probably finish off the McKenna trilogy, then pick something from my library pile.

Anticipation

It's the start of the long weekend for me, and I'm looking forward to a weekend of knitting, reading, and visiting tea shops.

Sometimes I think the best part of a project is that bit just before you start, and you are filled with anticipation. This ball of James C Brett Twinkle, shade TK15, is going to be an Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the relatively simple pattern and the shot of metallic thread combine.

What I'm reading #3

 It finally feels like spring is here! It's been a hectic couple of weeks, but I did manage to squeeze in some reading time.


What are you currently reading?

I'm still in the middle of Quiet by Susan Cain and A Place of Execution by Val McDermid, but slightly further ahead in both.

I also picked up Dangerous Waters by Juliet E McKenna. It's been on my to request from the library list for ages, and so far it is not disappointing me at all. I'm actually enjoying it which is a marked difference from the last two fantasy books I've read.

What did you recently finish reading?

Frankly, it's been a crap week or so for books. (Spoilers for Fade to Black by Francis Knight and Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George.)

The best of the bunch was The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. I liked a lot of the ideas, and the book wasn't bad, but I never really connected with any of the characters despite wanting to. The greatest feeling I got from the book was disappointment, and I don't think I'll bother with any of the others in the series.

I didn't actually finish Fade to Black by Francis Knight. I picked it up to finish it, and the main character intensely annoyed me again so I decided there was no point in forcing myself to carry on. I feel like the book could have been so good - the initial worldbuilding and set up had me quite excited, but it quickly degenerated into the outsider comes in and does a better job than the resistance and saves everyone. By itself that could have been okay, but the main character was an unlikeable arsehole who kept reminding the reader that he didn't know why he was bothering and didn't want to care, and the women were divided into two types: those who wanted to sleep with the main character and vengeful harpies. Oh sorry I forgot the third type: cold hearted bitch. (I had to go check the book was actually written by a woman.) Annoyed is probably my greatest feeling from reading this one.

I didn't properly finish Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George either. I skimmed it again, and my thoughts of disappointment, why am I forcing myself to read this? were confirmed. I do think it was a little better than This Body of Death as it did suck me in at parts but there wasn't an actual murder in it. That, and the random fat shaming of characters that were essentially stage dressing were majorly disappointing. I don't think I'll even go into the main characters because I just want to throw things when I think about them. I can feel the need to rewatch the TV series come on again, where there is actual consistent character development, and it doesn't give the impression that the author hates one character and uses another as an author stand in.

I did perk up at the idea presented at the end of the book that the next one would be a proper Barbara book, but my hopes were dashed when I read the blurb for it. The worst of it is, I'm still probably going to skim read it. :(

What do you think you’ll read next?

Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis I think, though Elizabeth Bear's Shattered Pillars is making it's way to the library for me. Maybe both since it's a long weekend.

Finished Tea Cosy

Between present knitting and the two giant secret projects (which are technically present knitting as well), it's been a good couple of months since I knitted something purely because I wanted to, even longer since I knitted myself something. This quick knitting tea cosy was the perfect antidote.

The pattern is For your eyes only in Sirdar Escape DK, shade Ravishing.

I love the colour combination in this wool, especially how it makes both sides look completely different. Also, it was my first time knitting bobbles, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy they were. I'd definitely knit it again, with maybe a slight adjustment for the fact that my teapot handle is on the top rather than the side!

Three things I'm loving at the moment...

I'm currently getting over a bad case of tonsillitis so to cheer myself up, I'm going to talk about things I'm loving at the moment.

1. Botanics All Bright Hydrating Night Cream. I started using this about a month ago, and I've not looked back since. It has left the skin on my face feeling lovely, smooth, and well moisturised. No more skin feeling taut for me! I love the pale pink colour of it, and it smells lovely. I've found it to sink in incredibly quickly, and it doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy afterwards. Better yet, a little goes a long way so the £4.99 pot (currently reduced to £3.49) is going to last me another couple of months, even with daily use.

2. Sinful Colors Nail Enamel. There is such a fantastic array of colours available, it was hard to pick which ones were coming home with me. (I ended up with Cinderella, Social Ladder, and Call You Later.) Cinderella was a three coater, but only because I like a nice solid colour on my nails - one coat gave a lovely even opaque coverage, and the drying time was fairly average. The staying power was phenomenal - after four days of washing dishes, handling money and general abuse, there was hardly any tip wear. It was only after I scrubbed down some woodwork that any wear started to show. Taking it off was not particularly difficult, and I couldn't stop staring at my nails the whole week.  All that and only £1.99 for 15ml? I'm seriously waiting for the catch.

3. Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. Just before I fell ill, I fell in love with this series. I raced through them, and hated anything that pulled me away from them. I love everything about them - the worldbuilding of the magic, the characters, everything felt believable and authentic, and the fact they are essentially magical crime-solving. Sold, sold and sold again. I can't wait for the fourth book in the series due in July, and the books are going on my birthday list so I can reread them to my hearts content.

What I'm reading

This week has been rather stressful, but I'm off the whole weekend, and one of my cacti is flowering so it must be spring!

What are you currently reading?

Still reading Quiet by Susan Cain – actually it’s been the sort of week where I haven’t picked it up at all. I did finally start Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George. It seems all right so far, though it hasn’t sucked me in properly yet like some of George’s earlier work has. I also started A Place of Execution by Val McDermid as my break time read. I am rather enjoying it so far – I didn’t want to put it down and go back to work this evening.

What did you recently finish reading?

Someone Like You by Cathy Kelly. It was, all right I suppose is the word. I raced through it but thought it dragged a little in places, some things were just a little too pat to seem properly plausible, and I didn’t like one of the protagonists at several points. I did finish it though, and it was an enjoyable enough book to read curled up with a mug of tea on a miserable afternoon. I feel like I’m damning it with faint praise but while it wasn’t brilliant, I did enjoy it enough to keep reading. I can’t ever see myself rereading it though, and I won’t go seeking out anything else by Kelly.

The Husband Hunt by Lynsay Sands. Well I didn’t finish it exactly. I correctly guessed who the villain was at his first appearance, and normally that wouldn’t put me off, but by page 70 I hadn’t connected with the characters at all, and it really wasn’t shaping up to a book that I would enjoy so back it went.

It feels like a rubbish week for books. Hopefully next week will be better.

What do you think you’ll read next?

I would like to get further into Quiet, and finish Believing the Lie so possibly only Fade to Black by Francis Knight as it came in at the library, and I’ve been looking forward to it since I read a sample chapter.

Link of the week - fantasybookcafe is hosting Women in SFF month. It’s only just started but there are some great posts already.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the month.

Still on the subject of books, the blurb for Val McDermid's new Tony Hill and Carol Jordan book was released this week. I wasn't impressed with the last one at all, and I wasn't sure if I was going to bother much with this one, but I'm pretty sure the blurb has been tailored to get me waiting on the edge of my seat until it comes out.

What I'm reading Wednesday

Sometime around university, my reading for pleasure really trailed off and it's not recovered yet. It's been my yearly goal for the last couple of years to rectify that and so far I've been moderately successful. This year looks to be even better, mainly because every Wednesday I've been answering these three simple questions somewhere where people can see them. I don't consider these to be proper reviews, just my quick thoughts on the books.

And yes, I know it's not Wednesday today, but it's been a rather hectic week and better late than never, right?

What Are You Reading Wednesday?
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

I've just started Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain.  It seems very readable so far, and I've heard good things about the book. I've also just started The Husband Hunt by Lynsay Sands. The back blurb really intrigued me, but I'm at page 40 now, and I'm still not entirely sure if I like it.

What did you recently finish reading?

Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold. It turned out rather like I thought it would - a very enjoyable read but not quite as loveable as either Captain Vorpatril's Alliance or A Civil Campaign (for me anyway) due to the lack of Lady Alys. (I have rather fallen in love with Lady Alys so that would explain it.) That said I did adore Vorlynkin and would love to read some more about him set after the book. All in all, I did enjoy reading it, and it has cemented the fact I want to read the rest of the books in the series.

Crossed Blades by Kelly McCullough. I utterly loved it. There really are no other words for it. The characters and relationships are explored and developed more thoroughly this book, the worldbuilding is slowly expanding, and I really couldn't put the book down. I adored the plot, and I'm bouncing about and tearing my hair out at the wait for the next book in the series. Whyyyyy can't it be out now????????? July seems like such a long way away at the moment.

The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James. I adored Theo, and for the first three quarters or so of the book I didn't want to put it down. I even thought it was shaping up nicely enough to put on my to buy list (since it was a library copy). Then the ending happened. It was far too rushed, and I had a real problem with James essentially trapping Theo in the house and sending away most of the house hold. I don't think I would have finished it had I not fallen in love with Theo, and Eloisa James has enough ability that I still wanted to read to the end despite hating it. I am really, really disappointed in how it turned out.

What do you think you’ll read next?

If I'm still on a regency kick, then Unbuttoning Miss Hardwick by Deb Marlowe. Possibly Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George if I finish that.

Edinburgh Yarn Festival

The Saturday before last I spent a fantastic day at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival with my mum. It was a brillant day, with so many lovely stands and vendors, and friendly fellow yarn lovers. In fact, I think the only thing wrong with the whole day was the fact the venue was a little too small for the number of people that turned up! It was the first year running, and the organisers and volunteers seemed rather surprised by the crowd - and it was definitely a crowd - everyone was packed in and at places you couldn't see the stalls themselves for the amount of people crowded round. That certainly didn't stop us from buying anything or enjoying ourselves.

I managed not to spend an absolute fortune (though only just - I could easily have spent a lot more than I did.)

First is this ridiculously cute Owl Ribbon from Avery Homestore:


Then it was to the Yarn Yard stand where I oohed and ahhed for ages before I ended up with:

Both are 4 ply, and a little brighter in reality. The green one is a 75% Wool/ 25% Nylon mix and the pink is Blue Face Leicester wool. Both are delightful to feel but I'm not sure what I'm going to knit with them yet.

I got a ball of JC Rennie 4ply (which is a new to me brand) from Wee County Yarns:

It's a silk mix and I went ooooh as soon as I saw it.

Then there was the Yarn Pony stand (who doesn't sell online at the moment *sob*)

Unfortunately these aren't for me. They are absolutely gorgeous and squishy, and they are going to make a gorgeous Ebbs Shawl for Mum's Christmas. (She picked them out when she was there with me so I can't even pretend they accidentally got lost). There should be enough of the blue left over to knit myself something though.

Last but not least was:

from Natural Born Dyers. It's going to be a Photosynthesis shawl, and it's going to be gorgeous. I can't wait to cast on.

It was only the fact that I was nearly ready to drop that managed to stop me buying anything from Textile Garden which had some absolutely stunning buttons at very reasonable prices.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the yarn festival is going to become a regular event.