Dare to Sketch by Felix Scheinberger

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Dare to Sketch by Felix Scheinberger. The descriptive Table of Contents built my interest in reading this book. Advice and instructions on sketch pads and their uses, drawing tools, different perspectives in drawing and the subjects of drawings are included. I especially like the page entitled, “Drawing is a Global Language”, which advises artists to observe respectfully. The art reminds me of Roald Dahl’s style. 4 stars for a helpful art book with personality!

Queso! by Lisa Fain

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Queso!: Regional Recipes for the World’s Favorite Chile-Cheese Dip by Lisa Fain! Queso! by Lisa Fain is a wonderful cookbook containing delicious variations on the chile-cheese dip. The queso recipes vary by region and ingredients. There’s even a recipe for sundaes. The history of queso is included, along with descriptions and suggestions for cheeses and peppers to use in your own queso recipes. The only thing I didn’t like about this book is that I would prefer the photos to be labeled with its recipe name. 5 stars for a scrumptious cookbook that made me crave queso!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration!

Holiday Cookies by Elisabet der Nederlanden

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season by Elisabet der Nederlanden! Holiday Cookies is a wonderfully festive book full of lovely photos and delectable cookie and candy recipes. I like the setup of a recipe followed by its picture then another picture and its recipe. I love cookbooks with photos accompanying each recipe! I plan on purchasing this book worthy of 5 stars!

Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Easy Steps by Alan Gelb

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Easy Steps, Third Edition: Crafting a Winning Personal Statement by Alan Gelb. Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Easy Steps by Alan Gelb. The ten steps are listed in the table of contents as understanding the narrative, finding your topic, point of view, getting it down, “big picture ” editing, second draft, self-editing, third draft, pulling it together and finishing up. Examples of real student essays can be found in the appendix, as well as help for parents, teachers and students. Essential information needed to write your essay is included and this book gets down to business. Recap at the end of each chapter summarizes and reviews the needed information. This very helpful book, worth 5 stars, will be beneficial to anyone having to write a personal narrative and not just for college admissions essays. Will be purchasing for school library!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary review consideration.

How to Grow More Vegetables, ninth edition, by John Jeavons

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review How to Grow More Vegetables, ninth edition, by John Jeavons. How to Grow More Vegetables should possibly be named How to Grow More Crops. This gardening instructional guide covers soil preparation, creation and upkeep; composting; soil fertilization and nutrition; planting with seeds and/or plants; companion planting; crop rotation; insect control; garden charts, plans and tools. The book is based on the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Method of gardening and is a more complex instructional gardening book than I need, but is still very helpful; 4 stars.

Colored Pencil Painting Portraits by Alyona Nickelsen

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Colored Pencil Painting Portraits by Alyona Nickelsen is broken into seven chapters describing and exploring the use of colored pencils, alone and with other mediums. The increased quality of colored pencils has improved drastically and the last twenty years have shown tremendous strides in improved performance and the range of abilities of colored pencils. Descriptions of types of mediums clarifies usage and the examples of colored pencil creations are astounding and look realistic; 5 stars for an impressive artist and her instructional book that helps others aspire to her standards! I am planning on purchasing this book for the school library.

The Book of Greens by Jenn Louis

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review The Book of Greens by Jenn Louis! The Book of Greens begins with a complete recipe list of vegetarian dishes, starters and snacks, salads and sides, soups; pastas, grains and dumplings ; fish and seafood; meaty mains; and drinks and sweets that are included in the book. Sections such as The Basics and How To Use This Book help get the most out of your greens. The section, Types of Greens in this book, lists the type, best method of cooking and specific greens to use in the recipes. A Seasonal Chart helps the reader know when certain greens will most likely be found for purchase. Bowls 101 shares four rules that will help in making great salads. The rules are “not all ingredients go together; ” don’t bog down your base green; less is more. There is also a rule for three components for a delicious bowl: flavor, texture and visual appeal. The system to make a delicious dish with greens follows these steps: 1-choose a base (type of green) 2-add variety (add veggies, fruit), 3-add texture (grains, nuts, popped corn, seeds or bread crumbs), 4-add protein (hard-boiled egg, cooked meat, beans), 5-add saltiness, 6- smooth it out with herbs, 7- sharpen it up and 8-dress it. Very detailed, color photos and an enormous selection of greens and the recipes to go with them. 5 stars.

Salad in a Jar by Anna Helm Baxter

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Salad in a Jar by Anna Helm Baxter. Simple and helpful, this book contains everything needed to make portable salads, except the ingredients. Recipes for salad dressings and many types of salads with common to unique ingredients and even ideas to help you create your own recipes are included. Clean and clear photos of each beautifully layered salad and detailed recipes made me hungry and show how easy it is to make a salad in a jar – 5 stars for this healthy read!

Manga Art by Mark Crilley

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Manga Art: Inspiration and Techniques from an Expert Illustrator by Mark Crilley! Mr. Crilley shares his story with his readers, encouraging artists everywhere. The beautiful artwork in this book will open up worlds for aspiring artists and I especially like the “your turn” sections that encourage artists to think outside the box and create out of their norm. I will purchase this book for the library where I work because I can see it being beneficial to many students. They will enjoy this book as much as I do- 5 stars for this nonfiction art instructional book!