Finished Object: Evergreen Socks

It's fair to say, things are a little topsy-turvy for me at the moment. I've been dealing with an eye problem called Recurrent Corneal Erosion for a while now. It's the main reason I had to take a long break from dyeing and have numerous days and nights in lots of pain.

I had a recent attack which took all of vision from my left eye, and left me in agony. Daylight irritated it more, so I spent a week holed up in a dark room with the radio, podcasts and audiobooks for company while I healed. What has this got to do with knitting you ask?

Well, I was originally knitting these beautiful Christmassy socks to be part of the lovely Amy's festive sockalong. But sadly, due to my injury I missed the deadline, by a day. GRR!

But I'd worked like crazy on them before the injury, so my sock mojo was high to get them finished. Because I wanted so much to be able to wear them on Christmas day.

I only have one other pair of Christmas socks and the yarn bled so much the first time I knitted them that the once festive red, white and green stripes are now all a muddy shade of purple.

I knew as soon as I saw this pattern I wanted to make these socks, despite the fact that they are cuff down and my preference has always been toe-up. I have really defined (read: chubby) calves, so I like to be able to make a very, very stretchy bind-off and I've found even the stretchiest cast-on isn't as loose as a bind-off. I'd seen a few pairs on Instagram in gorgeous dark, foresty greens so I scouted out the yarn shops for a lovely deep green. I was pretty surprised that Malabrigo (my go-to commercial yarn) didn't have anything suitable. But after a bit of poking around I found some deep, emeraldy Fyberspates that looked perfect. I also picked up some new sock needles, some Knit Pro Zings in a lovely festive red colour - just right for this knit!

I cast-on the day they arrived, but soon ended up feeling pretty disappointed. I know really vivid colours have a tendency to bleed in the wash, so I was prepped to block the living daylights out of them. But nothing at all could have prepared me for the fact this yarn was going to dye my hands, my nails and my project bag a very Grinch-colour green. In addition to that the yarn was incredibly flawed with lots of splits and knots. I'll definitely not be using Fyberspates again, which is a shame because the colour is beautiful. As a dyer I know colour transfer can happen, and that's pretty forgivable but the flaws in the yarn were incredibly disappointing and the two paired together wasn't the happiest knitting experience.

That said, the pattern was an absolute pleasure to knit. I started with a twisted German cast-on to add some stretch and after the cuff it just seemed to fly by! It's such a clear, well thought out pattern. I'm very impressed and almost a convert to cuff down. Almost. 

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Two

Shawl Two: Holden by Mindy Wilkes

Back in 2013, I was a very inexperienced knitter. I'd learned to knit as a child. My grandma taught me how to knit and purl, while I stayed with her for two hours every morning during the Summer holidays while my mum was at work. But it was in 2013, while quitting smoking and looking for something to do with my hands that I really got back into the hobby. And then, as it does, the hobby became a lifestyle. I became not just a knitter, but a Knitter.

I'd stuck mostly to Hobbycraft's meagre selection of acrylic mix and luxury Rowan when I could afford it, but I'd been hearing whisperings of beautiful yarn dyed by people. Not companies, but people. In their kitchens, sheds or home workrooms. Soft, delicate and hand-painted yarn, yarn full of love. I headed to Etsy to browse around and soon found RosiesMoments. I browsed her webstore with wide eyes and an itchy trigger finger, desperate to get my hands on some of the most beautiful yarn I had ever seen.

I fell hard for the soft, pastel, sweetshop colours of Sugar Candy and sent it packing on its way home to me. When the yarn arrived, I fondled the skein for weeks, desperate to find a pattern that truly deserved to be knitted with a thing of such beauty.

I had a few stumbles with lacy shawls, that were far too advanced for a beginner like me, before finding Mindy Wilkes' lovely Holden. The whole shawl took me just four days to complete, it was both my first indie skein of yarn and my first shawl. If only I'd known then what I know now, that it would open a new world to me. A world where I ended up dyeing my own yarn, and being the owner of more beautiful shawls than I knew what to do with (hence this project!).

When I look at my Sugar Candy shawl now, I see multiple flaws. The picot edging is a mess. I dropped and picked up stitches most inexpertly all over the place and my tension is wonky - to say the least.

But I know I will never have the heart to gift or frog this shawl. It will stay with me as a reminded of what it started for me. Because this shawl was a key to a brand new world for me. And that's why I will keep it, and I will wear it. Wonky edging and all.

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: Bonfire

Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Can you ever outrun your past?

Krysten Ritter's debut novel is like some bizarre mash-up of Erin Brockovich and Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects and it kind of works.

I found that it seemed to borrow a little too heavily, for instance Sharp Objects is a pacy thriller that follows a newspaper journalist who returns to her small and slightly odd hometown to report on a series of brutal murders. Bonfire follows Abby Williams an environmental lawyer who returns to her small and slightly odd hometown to investigate a scandal. Sounding familiar so far?

Both focus on teenage girls running wild in a small American town from the POV of an unreliable narrator with an entire suitcase of personal problems, from a troublesome family, a morally ambiguous love interest and alcohol consumption bordering on addition.

However, that's not to say it wasn't thrilling to read. Like Sharp Objects it's a gripping and at times uncomfortable read, letting the action pick up pace before hurtling to slightly predictable outcome.

Personally I found Flynn's novel more accomplished and would recommend it over this, but this tale isn't without merits if you manage to pick it up for a quick read.

View all my reviews

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl One

Shawl One: Messalina by Kay F Jones

I remember seeing this shawl all over instagram when it launched. I immediately fell in love with the snuggly looking cables and squishy garter. I must confess to generally feeling very anti-cable. I love how they look, but I find it difficult to get into the swing of them. I either find myself fiddling with two needles and a bendy cable needle, or having to pore over information to do needleless cables.

However, I'm prone to a bit of knitting FOMO, so I couldn't resist the gorgeous projects popping up here, there and everywhere. I shelved my cabling consternation and ran to my stash to pick out some lovely worsted weight yarn.

I finally settled on a gorgeous sea green Rowan Pure Wool Worsted that I picked up from my LYS Little Houndales a while ago. I thought the lofty, soft wool would be perfect for that squishy garter and lush thick cable. But, I feel this was possibly my first mistake. I tend to have a very much preferred palette of neutral tones, grey, oatmeal, cream coupled with purples and pinks. Lilac, plum, fuchsia, mauve; you name it - as long as it sits in that range, I'll wear it. I have very few clothes or knitted objects in green. I like the colour, but I just tend to steer away from it in clothing choices. 

I cast it on at the same time as my chum @karenhtodd. When we usually do a co-cast on, we have plenty of chat and waffling about our chosen project. However this one was suspiciously quiet. I think we were both struggling with the rhythm and shaping, but didn't want to put the other off. 

So, I ploughed on like a trooper. I cabled those cables and gartered that garter. And finally it was time to bind off.  But, the moment it was finished, I knew it would never be a favourite. Or even a worn shawl, if I'm honest. I hated the way it curled up and wouldn't sit straight. No amount of blocking would make it sit right for me. So it sat unloved at the bottom of my shawl chest.

I hasten to add, this is no comment on the shawl or the designer. I've seen many well-loved and beautifully made Messalina. I think my knitting tension was off, or my yarn choice was bad or maybe I just angered the knitting Gods. Who knows? Sometimes these things just happen. 

So, this was an obvious first choice when I started this project. I steeled my courage with a cuppa and pulled out that delicious Rowan worsted wool to be reused in something else.

I thought that perhaps I would feel guilty or sad, but if anything I feel lighter and refreshed. And above all, excited. Because, it's almost like free wool and who doesn't love that?

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: Winter's Bone

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Fading light buttered the ridges until shadows licked them clean and they were lost to nightfall.”

Daniel Woodrell's bleak Ozarks tale spins a yarn of poverty, survival and family - it's a crime-thriller but with a twist, the story follows 16 year old Ree as she tries to track down her bail-skipping, meth-cooking father. Ree is a powerful heroine, she's morally good but manages to avoid staying into saccharine territory by keeping her rough edges.

The writing itself is a beautiful, but stark portrayal of rural poverty in America, and reads almost like poetry. It keeps a powerful pace and you really feel every disappointment and beating alongside Ree.

The vivid prose paints the scenery perfectly, a beautiful haven juxtaposed with the darkly delicious meat of the book, the lengths that the poverty stricken residents will go to to survive the harsh wilderness.

I devoured this book and a day, and could have easily flipped the pages back and read it all over again.

Buy Winter's Bone on Amazon

Finished Object: Lustre Shawl

This humble looking shawl is Lustre by Amélie Bernier. But to me and my closest friends it's known as my prayer shawl. And there's a reason for that. It's become my go-to shawl in times of sadness, stress, anxiety and pain. The soothing rhythm and chunky squish is like a salve for the heart. If I'm knitting this shawl, you can guarantee my life is less than peachy.

And that's the case recently. My mum has been struggling. She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease recently and that's triggered an incredibly serious and severe bout of depression. My family is in turmoil. So, I felt like it was time to revisit my old friend, Lustre.

There’s so much I could say about this shawl, but nothing as much as telling you this is my third time knitting it. That should tell you how much I love it.

It’s become my go-to project for when I’m feeling stressed or sad and need a simple, comforting project to pour my feelings into.

I made it for the first time in 2014: Prayer Shawl and then again in 2015 Prayer Shawl the Second.

The 2014 iteration was knit in beautifully warm, soft Artesano aran with pops of a Debbie Bliss silk blend. I knit the shawl while I was on holiday in Loch Lomond, Scotland. It was my husband's birthday and I'd booked the trip for him. But a few days before the trip I was suffering with terrible stomach cramps and nausea. But I decided to soldier on through it, because who wants to spoil a birthday surprise, right?

Wrong. Absolutely wrong. I pushed myself hard to enjoy the trip for him, but spent most of the time curled up in the foetal position, crying in pain and begging for mint tea to stop the sickness. And the moments I wasn't crying in pain, I was knitting this shawl and putting every bad feeling and thought into the soft, squishy stitches and hoping it would ease my turmoil.

Side note: I did manage to enjoy a trip to the wonderful Yarn Cake in Glasgow. If you get the chance to visit, do. The cake is wonderful and the atmosphere is just as cosy as you might imagine being surrounded by cake and yarn feels.

When I got back home, I was diagnosed with a serious kidney infection. I took my medicine, got better and learned never to do a seven hour car journey when feeling like crap again!

I knit the second Lustre in 2015 with my lovely friend Karen. We had both been going through incredibly difficult struggles with our health and personal lives. So, I thought a KAL with this beauty would soothe both of our problems. Karen was a much less experienced knitter than me, so I perhaps should have accounted for that when choosing a pattern - however she did eventually find the rhythm with me. And she made the most beautiful mustard and yellow shawl. I think the wonderful thing about co-knitting is how much closer it binds you to the person. From shared failures and triumphs you bond over the stitches and it's really wonderful.




Each time I stumble, this pattern has soothed my heart. Both the knitting of it, and the subsequent wearing. It’s a beautiful pattern and it makes my soul feel rested and soothed. So when times got difficult for me this time around, I knew immediately what I had to do.

I wanted my 2017 Prayer Shawl to be exceptionally cosy and gentle on my fingers to knit. So, I immediately thought of one of my favourite yarns. Malabrigo Worsted is just so buttery soft and warm, I knew right away that it was my dream pairing. The gentle stitches of the Lustre combined with the beautifully squishy Malabrigo. 

I also had been dreaming of a beautiful neutral with a really bright pop of colour. So I ordered three skeins of a soft, biscuitlike taupe colour and one skein of an outrageously bright berry pink.

I packed up my yarn and pattern in my favourite project back and took in on holiday with me to Ardnamurchan. And I spent hours knitting it while away. I chatted and knitted, I watched sheep and knitted, I listened to the waves in bed, stargazing and knitted. It was my constant companion. And once again, it did its job perfectly.

Every stitch melted away a worry or a sadness. I don't know what it is exactly about this shawl that's so magical, but I thoroughly recommend you try it for yourself.

Because it truly is magical.

Book Review: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Still, the image haunted his dreams throughout the night: a lovely girl gazing at the stars, and the stars who gazed back.”

The opening book to Sarah J Maas' action-fantasy series is a hardworking book. It not only features a thrilling and suspenseful plot, but also aims to introduce us to the characters and the fantasy world itself.

It's something it does with ease, never feeling over-explained or under-realised. I found it incredibly easy to imagine the sweaty confines of the salt mines of Endovier to the smoky and packed streets of Rifthold.

I found Celaena Sardothien to be a surprisingly likeable heroine. She's had a lot of criticism levelled at her for being immature, vain and petty. But I think those flaws are what makes her human and easy to relate to. She may have had an action-packed life in the Assassin's Guild, but we have to remember that she's still an 18 year old girl. So, she's bound to be flawed and still forming her personality. This is also true of the fact it's the first book, so I'm expecting her to grow alongside the series.

Her supporting cast are slightly less well fleshed out, but I think it's only right that the book offers a strong introduction to the leading lady, with more time dedicated to the supporting players further along.

I really enjoyed the book on the whole, the plot was suspenseful enough to keep me turning pages and I enjoyed the interactions between characters. I wasn't as invested in the characters as I felt with Six of Crows, but I'm expecting that to change as I delve deeper into the series. And I genuinely can't wait to see where the journey takes me.

Buy Throne of Glass on Amazon.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project

I remember very, very clearly when I first started knitting the moment the following words slipped out of my mouth, "I will never knit a shawl. I don't see the point, I wouldn't wear it."

And now, years later with 32 finished shawls currently in my collection and...a number of WIPs sitting in my UFO pile. I realise now how very, very foolish that statement was.

Because shawls are like pet cats, one is never enough.

But, even with 32 shawls to choose from, I find myself reaching for the same ones again and again. Which means that shawls that I loved once, that I poured time, yarn and love into sit languishing at the bottom of my shawl chest. And that just seems wrong.

So, when I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes on instagram post about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like me Jennie has an absolute wealth of shawls, but wears the same ones regularly which means she owns unloved, neglected shawls just like me.

So, using Jennie's wonderful project as an example, I decided to start The Thoughtful Shawl Project.

My aim is to take out a shawl every few days. I want to assess the shawl, could it use a reblock? Is it an uncomfortable shape to wear? Does it suit my wardrobe?

Anything that doesn't fit into my life anymore will either be gifted or frogged to repurpose the yarn. Meaning that those sad, unloved, neglected shawls will get a new lease of life. Either with me as something new, or beloved by it's new owner.

I know it will be a tough journey, because it's hard to say goodbye to something you once loved, or still love. But my hope it that it will guide me to more mindful knitting in the future rather than just leaping into projects without thought because they grabbed me.

I'll be sharing information and updates on each of the shawls in my collection separately on this blog - so if you're interested then please stay tuned!

Book Review: Six of Crows

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“No mourners. No funerals. Among them, it passed for 'good luck.”

Once again, I was tempted to try this book because of a beautiful cover. But not only that, I loved the title and also the premise. Dark, twisty and heavy on fantasy - this book sounded perfectly suited to my tastes, and my goodness I wasn't disappointed.

I was hooked from the first moment, from the beautifully imagined scenery of Ketterdam and onwards to the rich and perfectly formed fantasy world of the Grisha. It's a masterpiece in how to create a new fantasy world for readers without being too heavy on the information and losing the reader with over-description of every tiny aspect.

But honestly, it's the characters that got their hooks into my heart. Setting POV chapters from the entire heist group was a clever way of drawing the reader in, and giving each of the characters their own backstories, desires and flaws worked perfectly. I found myself really rooting for the ragtag band of misfits from beginning to end. And each time they risked death or faced heartbreak I felt involved and deeply invested in the characters.

The entwinement of Nina and Matthias particularly enthralled me, and almost broke my heart into several pieces multiple times.

The power of this book lies in the skillful way that Leigh Bardugo draws you into the world of the Dregs, keeping you on the edge of your seat as they try to pull off the impossible. I can honestly say I was breathless with excitement several times during reading this book, and as soon as I finished it, I wanted to read the second book.

Buy Six of Crows on Amazon

Finished Object: Stripe'aganza

It seems like Brioche is EVERYWHERE at the moment. I love the look of it, all squishy and neat. And after my initial struggles, I even enjoy the soothing repetition of knitting it. So, when I saw Julie Knits In Paris's gorgeous Stripe'aganza I knew I wanted to make it instantly.

I was tempted in by the brioche most of all, but also the idea of a shawl knitting in lots of different directions and styles. I don't know about you, but I find the last few rows of shawl knitting really drag - when you have anything from 200 to 600 stitches on the needles at a time. So, the premise of knitting the shawl in smaller sections and portions really appealed to me.

I also really loved the colourful shawls Julie used for the images of the pattern, so I knew I could go colourful and bold. Speckles ahoy!

I dug out some very old, deep stash Knitting Goddess Sparklynne in gold, some Lamby Toes in Excited Party Pony and a self dyed white with pink and brown speckles.

From the first moment, I loved how the pinks and gold played together, and I knew it was going to be one special shawl. I absolutely adore stripes too, so it's fair to say it was love at first sight. I whooshed through the stripy section and got nice and deep into the brioche. I can honestly say I have never been more grateful for my Addi interchangeable needles. They're the type with the lifeline holes built into the cords, so it made adding lifelines an absolute breeze. It's actually the first time I've ever used them, and I was really glad I did. I had to pull back a few times after getting to enthralled in binge watching Netflix and goofing my brioche.

This shawl was so incredibly fun to knit - I love the constantly change in directions and patterns. I never had time to get sucked into monotony, or long rows from hell. It was simple enough to be TV knitting, but complicated enough to keep my brain focused.

And the finished object? I LOVE it. It's bold, beautiful and bright.

Book Review: The Drowning Pool

The Drowning Pool by Syd Moore
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

"The fire blew sparks over Corinne's side. She stamped them out and then started into the flames. I followed her gaze. In the centre of the drum shapes were shifting, mirroring each other in a ghostly preternatural dance."

Syd Moore's debut novel reads like an odd amalgamation of pulpy chicklit and horror - and I'm not sure it's a combination that works awfully well. I found the novel to have an odd pace with the focus directed at a group of Essex girls and their friendship, as well as a budding romance with the rather cliché arsehole-turned-misunderstood good guy rather than the more horror-orientated parts of the novel.

The lack of balance made me wonder whether the book would be better suited if it were reclassified, as the focus seemed more well-suited to chicklit with a paranormal slant rather than outright horror. But then again, how would you classify that? Chick-Horror? Romance-Horror?

Unfortunately the direction just didn't sit well with me at all and I feel like all atmosphere was killed by the light and frivolous nature of the writing. It just lacked excitement and suspense, leaving it a flat read that felt like two books that should never have been blended.

Buy The Drowning Pool on Amazon.

Finished Object: Daydreamer

I've been on a shawl binge for almost the whole of 2017, making sure to cast on a new one almost the instant one leaves my needles. So, as soon as I saw Janina Kallio's beautiful Daydreamer it jumped to the top of my Ravelry queue. 

It has been said previously that I may have a bit of an over-fondness for purples - and honestly after looking through my chest of completed shawls, I think I'm guilty as charged. Most of my favourite shawls are purple, with the occasional foray into very lilacy pinks or violetty blues. So after delving into my non-purple stash I pulled out a pair of gorgeous blues.

The rich tones of the Old Maiden Aunt Lon Dubh worked perfectly with the gentle, rolling oceanlike hues of the Malabrigo Aguas and the only blue shawls I had were looking distinctly purplish lately. So, I decided to throw caution (and my usual colour palette!) to the winds and just go for it!

The shawl itself was a wonderfully relaxing knit, with just enough going on to keep my brain interested and steer away from endless swathes of stockinette or garter stitch. I especially enjoyed the eyelet sections, there was something so soothing about the rhythm of them. 

It was ideal TV knitting and I sped along, enjoying each and every stitch and in no time at all I had a lovely finished object.

Even pre-blocking it's a nice generous size and the perfect shape for wrapping around your neck. This shawl has also done a magical thing, I've steered away from my usual grey/black/purple wardrobe into much more cheerful blue tones - all so I can find things to wear with my beautiful new shawl.

So while I'm not quite ready to pack purple away for good - I'm certainly happier to let it rest for a while while I enjoy a rainbow adventure...with maybe pops of purple to keep me happy!

You can view my project on Ravelry here. 

Book Review: The Keeper of Lost Things

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Time for the lovely cup of tea” 

Ruth Hogan's novel was a light and whimsical read, with a much deeper more poignant heart at the centre than you may initially think. The two POV stories were strong and moving, becoming even more so as they interwove and became entangled together in unexpected ways. I also loved the addition of the small snippets of stories belong to the lost objects, they felt like small seeds of stories with potential all on their own. But most of all I loved the exploration of the bonds people form, both to objects and other people.

As a story it really stuck with me, and I felt especially tangled into the Bomber and Eunice narrative. I found the characters warm and believable without ever venturing into saccharine sentimentality for them.

It's truly a beautiful, beating heart of a book.

Buy The Keeper of Lost Things on Amazon.

Finished Object: Penguono

If you follow me on any form of social media, I can almost guarantee that you have had fleeting glimpses of my Penguono. And if you're my friend, we've probably had indepth discussions about how much I hate doing moss stitch, how I struggled with picking up selvedge stitches, but overall just how much fun I'm having working on this project. Despite the moss stitch and selvedge stitches.

I'd been eyeing up Stephen West's colourful Penguono (a portmanteau of penguin and kimono, if you're getting curious tickles in the brain) for a long time. I ummed and ahhed about casting it on for the longest time - I'm not a garment knitter, I'm think it might be too oversized for me, will I just look crazy?

But then my scraps of DK, worsted and fingering were building up and I was desperately in need of some colour in my life, my wardrobe consists mostly of grey and black if I'm honest. So, I plucked up the courage and began.

To my utter horror the first section is a huge swath of moss stitch. I have complicated feelings about this neat little stitch. I love the way it looks and feels, but oh my I hate knitting it. There's something about the rhythm that just throws me completely off and I can't settle into the comfortable and soothing click-click.

But I persevered and carried on, through the dreaded moss stitch, onto colourful welts and stripes of acid brights and soft pastels. It was wonderfully fun to see different colours and patterns emerge with the wools I was teaming together (Penguono uses yarns of various weights held together to achieve your designed gauge).

I can't really explain the joy I found in digging through my scraps and pairing (or tripling!) combinations. There's also some sort of inner smugness when you manage to use up a whole ball of leftover, am I right?

I stumbled over a bit while picking up selvedge stitches and made a bit of a mess, but I reasoned with myself since it's underarm - who's going to see it anyway?

And the more fun bits, like the front of the jacket and trim just flew off my needles.

It took me just under a month, a whole sheep or twos worth of wool (seriously, this thing gobbles up yarn. So if you're going to knit it, make sure you're prepared and have a LOT of leftovers).

But honestly, now the cooler weather is upon us, it's barely left my back! And of course, there's the rosy glow I get whenever someone asks "did you make that?" and then gawps open-mouthed at me when I nod. It's bright and bold, but totally beautiful.

It's a Penguono!

You can view my project on Ravelry here. Although, honestly I was kind of terrible with keeping up with updating the yarn I used and notes. Sorry!

Book Review: Wicked Like a Wildfire

Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popović
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Love makes us even brighter than we are, until the gleam grows into a roman candle, impossible to contain. Everyone can see us shine with it, then, and it’s the nature of the human beast to fear what it doesn’t understand."

They say never to judge a book by its cover, but this is one beautiful cover. I spent a log time just looking at it, searching for hidden pieces and puzzles. Then I opened the book and it got better.

Wicked Like a Wildfire was full of really juicy, evocative prose and I devoured it from beginning to end. It reads somewhat like a blend of poetry and a folktale. And as we all know folktales can have a very dark slant to them.

I found the modern day setting a little jarring, but I think that's personal preference as I'm used to more historical-themed fantasy. But Montenegro is a lush and magical world just ripe for magical mayhem.

Overall I found this a spellbinding and heart wrenching read with a few flaws which are easily overlooked because of the beauty and substance of the prose.

Buy Wicked Like a Wildfire on Amazon.