4 comments about Aranzi Cute Stuff.

1. Between "The Cute Book", "Cute Dolls" and "Fun Dolls", Aranzi Aronzo pretty much exhausted all of the possibilities in the way of character dolls. So, in this, the final book in the "Let's Make Cute Stuff Series", Aronzo turns it's focus to cute accessories, and in my opinion, this is the best book in the entire series.
   
   "Cute Stuff" provides patterns and instructions for making 16 different Aronzo character-themed projects (if you aren't familiar with the Aranzi Aronzo characters, check out the Aronzo website, [...] - they're sort of like the Sanrio/Hello Kitty characters, only with more personality). These include: hair bands, book covers, draw-string bags, assorted pencil cases/purses/zippered pouches, felt keyrings, tote bags, tissue cases, napkins, felt envelopes, water-bottle covers, and scarves. Because of the practical nature of these projects, I have found this book to be far more useful that its predecessors. I love making cute dolls, but I don't have the space to keep them and I feel guilty whenever I make one. However, I can use a water-bottle cover, for example, so have a much easier time justifying making it to myself.
   
   The patterns and projects are slightly more difficult than those in the previous books. Whereas most of the projects in the previous Aronzo craft books could be made by hand-sewing, many of these projects require a sewing machine. Furthermore, some also require techniques, such as quilting and fitting zips, which, although not extremely difficult, may cause problems for absolute beginners. Nevertheless, as with the other books, the instructions are fully illustrated and easy to follow, and colour photographs are provided throughout.



2. In "Cute Stuff", crafts expert Aranzi Aronzo presents patterns and step-by-step instructions for a wide variety of colorful, interesting, and, well, 'cute' do-it-yourself crafts projects ranging from matching purses, tissue holders, and key rings, to hair bands, eco-friendly bags, and card holders. "Cute Stuff" is comprised of some 79-pages of crafts project in a 'how to' collection offering diversity of specific, fun, projects complete with a list of necessary materials, methodical construction instructions, and a full page color photograph of how they will look when completed. Of special note is are the little introductory commentaries that preface each project. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Cute Stuff" is highly recommended for the novelty of its individual crafts projects, and the many, many hours of personal pleasure and sense of accomplishment they will afford.



3. I work with children and this book was so perfect for them. Super cute!



4. 79 Pages of the most amazingly adorable stuff that you can make at home for very little money will entertain you for hours on end and make your home-made gifts the sensation of your neighborhood! As the author says, "Just carrying cute stuff around can make you feel happy."
   
   Using simple things easily found at any crafts store, the book will teach you to go from gathering your supplies together to making your patterns and finishing your projects.
   
   Oh! And the projects are so original. The long doll scarves, the book covers, the key rings, hair ornaments and more will send you over the moon with delight!
   
   This is a goldmine of stuff to make that you will treasure and have fun using!

5 comments about Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Official Strategy Guide.

1. I have to say say than when I get stuck this helps me out a lot. Thanks Bradygames.



2. I'll be honest with you. This book is designed really well. It is one of two BradyGames books right now in the "Signature" series -- strategy guides that feature higher-quality paper, very well-designed walkthroughs, and an extra like a poster. Unlike other guides, you don't get lost in all the small text trying to figure out where you were reading when you last looked up from the book. The strategy actually goes guard-by-guard, so you can use it if you're stuck trying to get past a specific guard, or you can use it to walk you through the whole game.

   The reason I gave this guide four out of five stars is because it really only contains the minimum information you need to complete the game. Sure, there are blurbs about secrets and stuff, but I just didn't get the feeling that this was a book chock full of "insider's info" on MGS2.




3. I was almost finished with Metal Gear Solid 2 when I stopped playing for almost a year. When I went to play again, I realized that I didn't remember the story that well and I didn't remember the layout of the area I was in. I decided to restart the game, but this time use a guide to make sure that I don't miss any items and to quickly get through the areas I had already played. Since this was the only guide available, I picked it up.

   Some reviews of this guide make mention that the guide is not actually needed to complete the game and that simply playing the game is all the strategy that one needs. That may very well be, but I don't think that applies in reviewing the guide. What matters is that the guide has all of the necessary information required to complete the game and not miss any items and that it includes tips on how to beat the bosses. This guide has all of that and is very valuable in completing the game. While many things can be discovered by trial and errors, this guide will get you through the game with no trouble (the only trouble may come in actually applying the strategies to beat a boss). The most valuable aspect of this guide comes in that it details on a map the patrol patterns of the guards. Knowing in advance how far a guard will patrol is very useful in planning your path though the level. If capturing the dog tags from the soldiers is important to you (and if you want the bonus items, it should be important), the guide provides useful strategies on how to get every dog tag in the game (on normal mode). I tried out some of them, and it worked just as the guide suggested. I wasn't that interested in collecting the dog tags my first time completing the game, so I didn't spend the time to collect them all. As far as I could tell, the strategies were spot on.

   One thing I should mention is that the strategies to get the dog tags and for beating the game apply to the normal difficulty setting. Since some things change on the higher difficulty levels, the guide is probably not as useful for mastering the game on the highest difficulty.

   Using this guide for the normal difficulty level, this is an excellent guide that will take you through the game and not spoil and story points. If you feel you need a guide for Metal Gear Solid 2, this one is well worth your money.




4. This guide is the most helpful when you are stuck at a certain place in the game that seems impossible to get past!!! The guide is in-depth and simple at the same time. If your stuck then this guide is for you. (this guide is CHEAP and easy to buy to help you)



5. If you want to play this game with a strategy guide, then your best option is to forget Bradygames and Prima, because authorisedcollection has a much much more detailed and thorough explanation of the game. I had a look at the reviews that 4 or 5 stars are put, they just didn't know what real strategy guide should look at. If you want to have the ranking of the legendary "Big Boss" in the game, go try authorisedcollection guide, otherwise you are just wasting your time playing this game. I'm not trying to offend Bradygames and Prima, but authorisedcollection series the best.

   If you are a Final Fantasy fan, go and compare guides from authorisedcollection and bradygames and you will know what I meant above.

5 comments about Monster Manual III (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement).

1. no monsters in there worth buying the book.
   Stick with the first monster manual.



2. This book covers the holes in the Monster Manual. With these two books you are set for a solid D&D game. It is heavy on the Eberron and Forgotten Realms stuff though. If you have a lot of Eberron books you will probably feel a little gypped at the reuse of material.



3. There are many imaginative creatures within the MMIII and I have enjoyed using the new Lizardfolk and Voidminded Creatures. Having more creatures for your adventures is always helpful to keep your players challenged but this book suffers from one major problem. The creatures tend to be under rated and therefore can be extremely deadly if you use the CR ratings in the book to balance your fights. Easily overcomed if you take the time to review the creatures you are using to make sure they fit what you have planned.



4. I found the Monster Manual III to be a useful tool in my D&D book collection. Many new monsters, friend and foe alike, can be found within the 224 pages. However, a great deal of the monsters that grace the material are of the outsider/demon/devil types, or are undead. There are quite a few more creepy crawlers too. Any DM who is tired of the same old encounter will find Monster Manual III to be an enjoyable reference.



5. Wizards is really scraping the barrel with this one. Wizards has obviously run out of ORIGINAL ideas. It's like a bunch of guys got together in a room, smoked allot of pot and just threw together a bunch of chracteristics from other monsters and combined them into one monster. I can't believe people pay for this **it When are people going to THINK for themselves. Wizards does not own D&D. The people who play it do. The game was finished decades ago. Every reiteration is just money for Wizards. Wizards is in it for the PROFIT. If a pile of steaming dog **it on a plate could be sold for profit they would do it. Wake up!

4 comments about Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves: Expert Plays for No-Limit Tournaments.

1. This book is excellent! If you want a tool-kit of plays and how to use them to win a poker tournament, this is great.
   
   First, most of the plays in here are new to me. There are some things I was never sure what to do. Like medium pairs. Do you call, raise, re-raise? This book explains what to do with these hands, when to do it, and why. The why makes it easier to recall in the middle of a game.
   
   Second, the way the book makes you think about how to play a hand is very clever. For example, I played tight at the start of an event and now I realize that's a mistake. I never wanted to move all-in and now I know that's a mistake. I also thought tight-aggressive play is the answer and yeah, wrong again..
   
   
   Third, I put this Tournament Book to the test the past week. I thought I was a pretty good player since I usually got to the bubble and either just missed or made the money. After reading this book, though, I often find myself with a big chip stack so I don't have to worry about the bubble. Going to the final table this week, I've been the chip leader twice.
   
   I may regret this review, but this book has already made me a much better tournament player. It's simply a great tool-kit of plays that will make you a better player.



2. I had the honor of reading the manuscript to this book before it was released. Mitchell had contacted me through my personal poker blog and asked if I would like to review his up and coming book on tournament hold'em and I couldn't refuse!
   
   I read the book cover to cover two or three times and thought to myself "these tips could never work" as I was trained to be a tight-aggressive player based on the works of Harrington and Sklanksy. However, I put my pride aside and decided to try about 15 or so of these awesome moves in my upcoming tournaments. Things turned out to be fantastic with the awesome preflop moves I used from this book! Also, the subjects on c-bets has really helped me be super aggressive on the flop, even when I didn't hit any piece of it. I have since played 47 tournaments, placing in the money in 13 of them, and took down 7 of the them!
   
   Bottom line: If not for this book, I would not have made it very far in the tournaments I have played in. Harrington on Hold'em is still the greatest series of books in my opinion, but if you really want to up your game and mature from the kids to the big boys, read this book.



3. This book is one of the best , I have seen or purchased almost every poker book available.The only way it could be improved is if by magic the
   pages turned into full motion video. Highly Instructive, Informative and Interesting, what more can you ask of a book.



4. I had intensely studied the books refered to as the "poker bibles" yet I had been continuously finishing on the bubble in major tournaments. After reading "Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves" I finally had my first breakthrough and finished in the money in a $1500 No Limit Hold'em Event at the 2008 WSOP. The ideas in this book were key to my getting there. If you are looking for success - and the ideas missing from the poker bibles - then this is the book for you. Thanks Mitchell!

5 comments about The Bandsaw Book.

1. Every chapter is filled with knowledgeable experience gained from using many different types of bandsaws. Lonnie Bird has taught woodworking and the use of power tools such as the band saw for many years. Having used a bandsaw in the past and getting ready to do so again after a 15 year hiatus, I thought I should bone up on the facts. Lonnie had information I never even considered before. His treatment of bandsaw blades and their use is invaluable and complete. This book will be readily available in my shop for quick reference whenever I need it on bandsaw tuning or blade selection.



2. I bought the bandsaw and figured I better have a book to help me along. I bought this book with the hopes it would help. It has and will some more in the future.
   
   I did find some of the information redundant as to what was written in the owners manual. But, there are great sections on how to tune up your saw, jigs, projects and a whole lot more. This book is in my shop with me and I find myself referring to it.
   
   I would recommend for both novice and seasoned woodworkers. There is just a lot of good useful information.



3. I bought this book because I've been in the market for my first bandsaw for a few months. I've been researching the topic a lot and came across a recommendation for this book in a forum somewhere. Given Amazon's great price I thought what they heck. I found this book to be very informative and pointed out a lot of things I should be looking at when determining which saw to buy that I had not though of. It did this without knocking any brands or given slanted praise to any brand either which I really liked. I don't really like taking a recommendation from an author who recommends a brands that sponsors him. Definitely worth the money and the time.



4. If you are thinking about buying a bandsaw or are new to them, get this book! This book is packed with information that is helpful for buying new or used saws. It explains the differences in blades and what you need for different uses.
   
   This book will save you money and guide you to the right saw for your needs. Well worth the price!



5. I knew I wanted to buy a 14" bandsaw, but knew nothing about bandsaws and wanted a good overview. It accomplished that.
   
   I get the impression that the author expected the reader to select the topics of interest and just read those. As a novice, I read the entire book straight through and as a result, got a bit tired of the repetition I went through.
   
   It is an easy read and I learned effectively. I still have a couple questions, but was able to narrow my saw selection to two.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Origami: Step-by Step Instructions in Over 1000 Diagrams (Origami).

1. The author of "The Complete Book of Origami" has become notorious for producing some of the most advanced origami models in the literature and this book contains a range of models which cannot be considered anything but difficult. Most of the pieces will not be possible from ordinary paper but will require either foil or very thin bank weight paper to work well. Wet folding would also be suitable for some of the models though the diagrams for the elephant sail into a patch of fog when making its behind!
   
   Be prepared to spend some hours making each piece and you may well find yourself starting over again several times until a series of folding procedures becomes clear.
   
   That said the book contains some excellent models - I have always liked the Cuckoo Clock and the Viking Ship, and can confirm that the action pieces really do work.
   
   The diagrams are hand drawn rather than computerised which may explain the level of verbal instruction; however some of the sets of folds are very complex and the verbal instructions provide that much needed extra to understand what is going on.
   
   This is a book for the seasoned folder and most paper folders who have reached the high intermediate to advanced skill level will enjoy it.



2. I agree with several of the reviewers here. As a "purist" I object to models that don't start with a square, of which there are many here. I am also bothered by measurements that do not arise from the creases themselves (eg "fold into thirds".) Finally, Lang jumps from very easy to very advanced, with virtually nothing in-between (and uses harder folding sequences than neccessary IMO, Montroll achieves similar complexity in his finished models with far less difficulty.)
   If you are willing to look past these objections, the finished models themselves are frequently amazing.



3. this book would fit nicely on a shelf in bill gates mansion. If you're a hardcore nerd and grew up within the 80s and 70s, played with erector sets and studied quantum physics at the age of 2 then you may be able to decode the rocket science behind the drawings and instructions given in this book. nay on the origamay



4. An excellent book for beginners and continuing students of origami. Many color photo step-by-step illustrations of simple and more complicated models. Well worth buying.



5. This book has some of the most original models I've seen among origami books (including a particularly impressive clock). However, many of the instructions are vague or extremely difficult to fold as described. Some of the more advanced models will take lots of experimentation to figure out what the intended fold is.

2 comments about Mensa Challenge Your Brain Math & Logic Puzzles (Mensa).

1. If you love puzzles, this book is a **must have**! This is hands down the best puzzle book I have ever worked. There is a wide variety of puzzles and they are all unique, not your standard logic problems. Prepare to be challenged, these puzzles are definitely for the puzzle solver at heart! What a great mental workout!



2. A great book for those of you who are preparing for a puzzle competition and are looking for an exercise book (as I was when I bought this one). Despite it is only 96 pages, it has a great variety of puzzles, mostly contest types.
   
   There are around 10 to 20 puzzles of each type, and these are:
   
   - Alternate corners
   - Battleships (classic, crowded, hexagonal, minesweeper, numerical, ocean view, semicircular)
   - Corral
   - Deja Vu
   - Dominoes (domino hunt)
   - Eminent domain
   - End View (like ABCD)
   - Fences (including big field fences and pentomino fences)
   - Hex Loops
   - Lighthouses
   - Minesweeper
   - Number place
   - Nurikabe
   - Oxtails
   - Clouds
   - Skyscrapers (only the 'number of buildings' type)
   - Snaky tiles
   - Spiral galaxies
   - Spokes
   - Square Roots
   - Tents
   
   The level of difficulty is pretty good, at least for the puzzles I tried.
   The only drawback is that most of the puzzles are too small, especially the Fences. I've seen books where the puzzles on the answer pages are bigger than these ones. It's not like they are so small that makes it impossible to work them out, but still pretty small. What I'm doing on other books and will on that one too is to scan the puzzles, cut the white spaces and print them back again on larger sheets. This way you are not ruining your book when drawing and erasing and you can print (and solve) certain pages as many times as you like.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about Secrets of Professional Pot-Limit Omaha.

1. this dude talks about hands he has played throughout the entire book, quite possibly the worst book ever written



2. If you buy into cash games for the minimum and want to reduce your risk, while raking in large pots, this book is for you. Rolf has written a unique approach that is really quite informative. It takes a real commitment to his strategy for it to work, but in the long run I am sure it works well. Even if you don't use this specific strategy, the book is worth it because it covers a lot of groundbreaking areas that other Omaha books haven't touched and it is well written. I haven't pulled the trigger yet on his strategy, but I learned a lot about the reasons behind a successful Omaha strategy. Well done Rolf.



3. A fresh view on pot-limit omaha, a must read for everyone seriously interested in the game. Helps you understand the strategy of shortstack play perfectly.



4. Ok folks, up front this is not a how to book. Actually there is very little information in this book about starting hands, semi bluffing ect. This book is more about Power Plays. It is about using betting to lure in the action, controlling the pot, and most of all: understanding a great players use of logic rather than pure aggression. Rolf goes through hand scenerios that he has been in, in specific types of games.
   
   For Example: He tells of his time playing in a loose aggressive game in Vienna and how he was able to develop a systematic approach in beating this particular game. P.S. It is fascinating to read.
   
   His style is very erradic but once you read a few of his "Tales from the Felt" (as I call it) you begin to comprehend why he plays these hands a certain way in one game and completely different in another type of game.
   
   If you are an intermediate player I would still say you should read: Jeff Hwangs, Pot Limit Omaha book first and then read this one. Because the concepts in this book are advanced and you must have a clear understanding of the game to fully grasp the ideas and plays in this book. If you don't you will loose alot of money attempting these Power Plays.
   
   On a Personal Note:
   
   I play Omaha hi/lo Ring Games at my local casino and there are moments when I can understand these plays and incorporate them into my game and they have helped me get that extra value for my hand that I could not get before.
   
   Hope this helps!
   
   - George Johnson



5. Having read these reviews, I thought I'd better give my sad opinion too, since most of the reviews miss the biggest point.
   
   Unless you are an advanced Omaha player, this book is not for you. If you don't have an exceptional understanding of the game, the stuff Rolf writes will go right over your head. God help you (and your bankroll) if you try using it in money games.
   
   One reviewer is right in saying to read Hwang first. Ciaffone would be another good choice.

4 comments about The Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life: Making Money in the Metaverse.

1. Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life: Making Money in the Metaverse
   
   I figured this would be a useful book because when I was interviewed for it the questions were in-depth, thoughtful, and non-fluffy. And it turns out that the book is even better than I expected. This is a GREAT book for anyone who wants to start an in-world Second Life business, or for someone who wants to improve their existing business. I would have turned a profit quicker if I'd had it when I was a newbie!



2. This book is a great way to learn about the many financial opportunities that await you in Second Life. The layout is clean and colorful, the examples shown are interesting and inspiring, and it is a good examination of Second Life overall. The lessons ignite the imagination...where would I like to concentrate my efforts as an entrepreneur? What does it really take to make a business successful? How have others done it, and what can I learn from their experiences? Terdiman did his homework on this project and the guide provides a realistic look at what it would take to create your dream career.



3. outstanding. this step-by-step guide is well-written, informative, and easy to navigate. the structure of the book allowed me to get straight to the topics i was interested in - it's clearly laid out and having first-hand advice from residents/experts was extremely useful and gave me confidence - there's a great chapter on Setting Up Shop, for example. It's a comprehensive how-to that makes the metaverse accessible to everyone.



4. This book gave me a lot of great ideas for the Second Life platform. I had no idea of the type of businesses that were in Second Life. Now that I have an idea of how to purchase land and have seen the various software applications being used to create product, I plan on experimenting with it for the next 90 days or so. From there, I'm going to continue using the platform to launch my Second Life business. This Book is fabulous!
   
   Lanesa Stubbs

5 comments about Brothers in Arms (Dragonlance: Raistlin Chronicles, Book 2).

1. This is the one series of books, that I never tire of. If a book has to do with Raistlin, the mage, or anyone related, I have read or ordered that book and I have never been dissapinted. The story tells well through all the continuing sagas. Thank you Margaret Weis and thank you Tracy Hickman. You are the epitamy of style, magic and entertainment.
   Toni from Petaluma, Ca



2. If you are intrigued by Raistlin and want to know his detailed story, starting at age 6, this book, along with Book 1, are the books to get. All of the questions I had about him, and even some I didn't know I had, were explained.



3. My son loves these books so as he read it in a couple of days must be good.



4. Awesome Dragonlance novel :)
   
   This novel tells the story of how Raistlin and Caramon became mercenaries after Raistlin has taken the test of magic.
   
   This is every bit as good as The Soulforge (Dragonlance: The Raistlin Chronicles, Book 1). And definetly lives up to the Dragonlance standard.
   Only downside is that it only spans over around one year out of the five years the companions are separated before the Chronicles series, therefore, it does not say anything about what happenes to the twins during the remaining four years. Yet, if the story had to span over all the five years, it would have been a VERY long book :)
   
   Definetly worth reading if you demand to know more about Raistlin and Caramon :)



5. For those of you familiar with the Dragonlance universe, I have to say this is a very different book from The Soulforge (which precedes this volume). This book starts out quite slow, but once it gets going is quite entertaining. It is interesting to speculate about what role Don Perrin played in this book given The Soulforge was completely his wife's work (Margaret Weis). The book generally aims to stay consistent with the other texts in the series and does not "offend" key plot points for what comes later.
   
   Another interesting aspect of this work is the development (furthered in Dragons of the Highlord Skies) of Kitiara. A character I always felt was quite narrow in the original trilogy (chronocles) is fleshed out considerably in these two volumes, and I 'almost' find myself liking her. It appears that a reasonable amount of military study has gone into preparing this book (at least at an elementary level) as it skips the deux au machina of the magic spell to end every conflict (which seemed to be evident in some more recent Dragonlance novels).
   
   This book is not deep and is a good actioner. Enjoy it for what it is, but don't expect the same degree of introspection as with The Soulforge.