How to make mini book covers #bookishhobby

I’m back with a DIY project and as far as bookish hobbies go, this is the cutest one yet! I’ve seen plenty of photos on Instagram of little mini book covers and I always wondered how to make these. I have finally found the answer and I’m happy to share it with you. And don’t worry, the good news is that it’s really not all that difficult!

Okay time to start! First, think of some book covers you want to make in advance so you know when you start that you’re not adding another 30 minutes trying to decide. I just picked my last ones that I read and the ones that I’ll be reading in the next few weeks, so not especially favourites. I’m sorry I don’t have lots of photos of the start of the project but I’m talking you through it step by step so it should be clear enough.

Note: The following instructions mention a programme named Canva but you can easily do the same in Word. I tried and tested it and it gives the sames result, only the colours in Canva that you need for the spine are a bit more diverse in shading, and they suggest colours there too based on the colours in the image which is helpful too. I only found out after I had already made this post so I’m giving you my original review.

First, open up the site Canva, make an account or log in and ‘Create a design’ by selecting an A4 document. Make a rectangular ‘shape’ on the page by choosing a square in the ‘element section’ on the left. On the bottom of the page you can increase the percentage of your view and I scaled my view to 120% so that I could fit the covers nicely into the squares at the right time. Now it’s entirely up to you how big or how small you want your covers but as a guideline I set my square at around 70 mm horizontally and 40 mm vertically. You can add the ruler when you go on the top into File – View Settings – Show rulers and guides.

   

Now open another tab and Google the title of the book you want, you want to see a book cover so once you hit enter choose the tab images to see all the covers. You don’t have to go on a website but you can just choose an image, you click on it and when you see it bigger on the right side of your screen you simply right-click on the cover and ‘copy the image‘, then go to the Canva page and paste it.

It’ll be too big but you can change the size when you go to the corner of that cover picture. Make it fit in your square and if you’re happy with it, copy/paste the image again for the other side. You’ll be able to turn it upside down too so that your book cover will look good from all sides. Make sure you have left a little space between the two covers because that’s the spine of your miniature version of the book.

You can change the colour of that spine by simply clicking on your square. It’ll show a color icon next to shape above your page and you can change the color to another one that goes well with your cover.

Time to print these via Share – Download – PDF Print

And we have:

                                           

Now the really fun part starts! What you need is some foam (you can do it with paper too, there are other tutorials I’ve seen that use paper, but my way is so much faster) and glue. Cut out two pieces of the same size as your cover, glue them together with some mod podge (I didn’t find that here so I used the glue I had) and into the booklet and there you have it. Use a minimum of glue (even less than I’m showing here) and spread it out with a piece of paper or cardboard, because it’ll cause the paper to wrinkle if you use too much.

And this is how it’ll look on my Instagram 🙂

So what do you think of these mini book covers? Cute innit? I’ve seen some bloggers making covers for all the books they read in a year. I’m not going to start such a collection but I’m keeping the ones I made as home deco in a jar.

Oh and as a behind the scenes… this is what I’m working with… or better yet how :-). For full disclosure, Poes did not have any glue on her, it’s a small miracle.

Till next time! Tell me what you think, I’d love to hear if it’s a yay or a nay!

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Same book, different cover #22

Happy hump day! I’m here to bring you again 5 new book covers. It’s up to you to pick and choose your favorite one. This is just for fun so there are no wrong answers! OK then, I’ll go first, then it’s up to you:

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Read

      

There’s one cover that stands out for me and that’s cover 3. I love the colours and I appreciate that you don’t see Emma’s face. I like cover 1 (there’s a bookshop in the story) and 5 as well but they would make me pick this novel up and check it out, with the third one I’m already convinced I want it.

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

An easy choice for me, I choose cover 2 with the delightful black rose on it. I don’t know why but it seems darker and more ominous to me and I like the contrast between being ‘lucky’ and then that rose which makes it feel quite contradictory.

The Trophy Child by Paula Daly

If I really need to make a choice then I’ll go for cover 1. OK the second one with the house hidden away behind a hedge and a locked gate is mysterious but there’s not enough going on on the cover for me to keep my attention fixed to it, I find myself looking longer at the first one.

The Key to my Heart by Lia Louis

This is such an easy choice, I absolutely love cover 1! It’s just so cute! I love the shade of blue more of the first and also I hate winter (I can’t even remember if this played a role in the story).

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

This is the most difficult choice to make. The main character (the psycho) is a man so I don’t really know why there’s a woman on the first cover? I don’t really entirely get the second cover either but I’m still going with cover 2. It has a bit of a rebellious feel to it with the graffiti like title. If anyone has any good insights about these covers do let me know!

So that’s it. Tell me your thoughts! If you can’t get enough, check out Battle Of The Books – #21

Same book, different cover #21

Happy hump day! I’m here to bring you again 5 new book covers. It’s up to you to pick and choose your favorite one. This is just for fun so there are no wrong answers! OK then, I’ll go first, then it’s up to you:

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

 

I choose cover 2 which looks even better when you hold it in your hands. It sparkles when you hold it in the light and I love the blended colours. The first cover is too dark for me.

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood

I don’t like the style in general of covers 3 and 4 so I’m attracted to covers 2 and 5. I like both of them but I’ll go with cover 2 because it’s something different than the covers I’m used to seeing and I still like it 🙂

Cross her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

   

I loved this book and I’m going with the cover that I have which is cover 3. The first one makes me think of a type of Lizzie Borden story 🙂

The Red Ribbon by Lucy Adlington

I choose cover 1. Maybe the third one states more clearly that it is a story of friendship but the first one makes it clear that it is a war story entwined with sewing and that there’s a special meaning about a red ribbon in the story. (the red ribbon symbolised hope and was a gift from one girl to the other…. when you know that it was forbidden to withold supplies, such a small item – the only thing there of vibrant colour in a sea of grey – was very precious).

The It Girl by Ruth Ware

It’s unlikely for me not to choose a cover that has pink on it but yes I’m choosing cover 1 over the second one. That gold isn’t only much prettier to look at but it also fits the story and who April was, she was the golden girl who drank champagne, had money and was the center of attention.

So that’s it. Tell me your thoughts! If you can’t get enough, check out Battle Of The Books – #20

Same book, different cover #20

Happy hump day! I’m here to bring you again 5 new book covers. It’s up to you to pick and choose your favorite one. This is just for fun so there are no wrong answers! OK then, I’ll go first, then it’s up to you:

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

I choose cover 2 because I really like how she added the Eiffel tower on the cover. I’ve seen enough buildings and windows but the second one is the one you can even recognize from a distance.

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough

 

This is a difficult choice to make. The second one is the creepiest but I’m always hesitant about creepy books so in the end I choose cover 1. This one also fits best with the black and orange cover of Behind Her Eyes that I already have.

Ellie and the Harp Maker by Hazel Prior

 

I choose cover 1 but I’m not sure I can explain why I’m choosing the first one over the second. It just gives me a warmer vibe?

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

I’m certain of my choice, I love the second cover! I want black to be the dominant colour. It’s the hardback version, whereas the third one is the paperback copy. Also, have you seen the cover of his next novel The Island? It’s also a black cover with red letters and white shadows so I love that he chose the same style for his next book.

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

 

In anticipation of his new novel, here’s one of his most memorable books. The cover that scares me the most is the second one, that luminous green feels very ghostly, so cover 2!

So that’s it. Tell me your thoughts! If you can’t get enough, check out Battle Of The Books – #19

Same book, different cover #19

Happy hump day! I’m here to bring you again 5 new book covers (ok I was so fired up I even added an extra one so you get 6 book choices this time). It’s up to you to pick and choose your favorite cover. This is just for fun so there are no wrong answers! OK then, I’ll go first, then it’s up to you:

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

I choose cover 1. It’s still on the fun side with the female character turning her back on him but looking over her shoulder, so there’s the title but at the same time you see some possible flirting too, which captures what this book will be about really well. The other cover has more of a negative feel to it.

He Started It by Samantha Downing

 

The first cover feels like a movie cover so it’s obvious I go for cover 2. I’m normally not a fan of faces on covers but they picked the right person for this one. Her stare keeps my eyes on it.

What Might Have Been by Holly Miller

 

The most difficult one! I think I’d ultimately go for cover 1 because it’s so nice to look at but I do love the contrast in the second cover which gives a glimpse of the two different lives she’ll lead in the book.

True Crime Story by Joseph Knox

 

Ah cover 1 of course. The pink is the most obvious reason but I also like that there’s a photo of a person on the cover, it gives it a more realistic touch to it.

You’ll Be The Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

This one’s very easy. Cover 1 looks so much better. I love that many of her books have the same lay-out too. The second cover doesn’t really do anything for me.

So that’s it. Tell me your thoughts! If you can’t get enough, check out the previous book battle #18

Murder Mystery Party Case Files: Underwood Cellars #murdermysterygame

For all the super sleuths out there, the new Murder Mystery Party Case Files has arrived and there is a murder to be solved!  Perfect for individuals or as a great dinner party game, the Cary Underwood cold case has been reopened and it is down to the team to solve the murder. With over 50 pieces of evidence, and hints and conclusions online, the case will take a true detective’s mind.

I chose the Underwood Cellars mystery because it had a 4.5 star rating (on 1.042 reviews) and it came at a fair price too of only 14.95 £ (+4.18 £ for international shipping). The box that arrived is a sturdy one and I loved the design, it’s not just any box but it looks like an actual file folder.

 

What’s more, when I opened it I found over 50 pieces of evidence in two different folders:

There were polaroids of the suspects and several other normal photos, newspaper articles, witness statements, written letters, the detective’s notebook, even the timeline… I loved how much the dossier included and the variety of documents.

So I started to read everything. The goal was to list the suspects and add 1) motive, 2) means, and 3) opportunity. If I had all three then I would find the killer. And so I read about this Napa Valley wine maker, his brother, his business partner, his secretary, his wife, his foreman and one of his friends. One of them had taken his life and tried to cover it up.

To be honest, I had only read the Missing Person File and I already had my eyes set on one of the suspects. So when I read the Murder Investigation File I tried to keep this in mind and see if there were other things that fit and they did. Overall I didn’t find it so difficult to find the identity of the killer, and of the 6 possibilities 3 people fell off my list quite soon already. When you only hear once from them in a witness statement and the others don’t speak of them either, how are they supposed to be real suspects then?

I did find the motive was kept very simple and I did miss some extra drama and intrigue between the different characters, like mistresses who had affairs with different men and then tension and jealousy between them… I didn’t feel much ’emotion’ coming off any of the characters and it’s all quite straight-lined, there are no complications. I know, I read too many stories, right?

All in all I enjoyed this but I missed some extra game play, you’re done when you’ve read everything (I did take notes too so that I saw the important points in the statements) and you decide on a name. All you have to do then is check the solution on a private site (and there are a few clues too to get there if you need them), where they confirmed my suspicion, my suspect was in fact GUILTY. They also list all the clues (5 or 6) for you to have come to that conclusion.

Same book, different cover #18

Happy hump day! I’m here to bring you again 5 new book covers. It’s up to you to pick and choose your favorite cover. This is just for fun so there are no wrong answers! OK then, I’ll go first, then it’s up to you:

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

 

Difficult choice to make. The second cover gives me creepy vibes all right but maybe a bit too much? I think I’ll still go for cover 1, the one I’m accustomed with and I’d recognize even without the title.

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

 

I’m very sure about my choice, it’s cover 2. I don’t like it when an author’s name is the same size as the title. The second His & Hers has a very attractive cover, I love the contrast and I really like that I could visualise the friendship bracelets they speak of in the novel like this. I always enjoy it when there’s a link between the story and the cover.

The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard

 

The second cover is very clever, it is the cover of the book within the book and then where the author’s name is (Eve Black is the fictional character who wrote The Nothing Man) the cover is torn and you see that Catherine Ryan Howard actually wrote both books with the same title. I like the idea, very much. And yet, I’m still drawn to cover 1 more.

Educated by Tara Westover

 

Both covers appeal for different reasons. The second one immediately gives me the message that this is a real story about real people, it’s not a fiction novel. But it doesn’t reflect how much pain is captured within those pages, she looks too happy and I’m not even sure when she was happy. This is a hard book to read. So I like cover 1 more, you see the pencil, the mountain where Tara lived and even the ups and downs of her life if you think on it some more.

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

   

It’s a draw for me so I’d really love to hear which one you enjoy more. The first one is very obvious a young adult novel for me. I also like that the other two covers in the series really match with green and red covers. But the second one gives an idea of the grandeur of the house and it shows directly that 5 characters will be important in the story. So there’s something to say for both really and I’ll leave it up to you to decide.

So that’s it. Tell me your thoughts! If you can’t get enough, check out Battle Of The Books – #17

The Curious Correspondence Club: Chapter 1: The Custodian Keys #Review #mysterygame

What is the Curious Correspondence Club exactly?

The Curious Correspondence Club is a Canadian company that delivers immersive analogue puzzle experiences right at your door. It’s the same as an escape room with the benefit that you don’t have even have to step outside. Each envelope contains a chapter with paper-based cryptic puzzles and it’s described as a unique deductive experience.

You can sign up for monthly installments ($19.95USD), a yearly subscription but also for Single Chapters, which was I did! A single purchase costs $21.95USD. I can’t remember how I heard about them but when I browsed to their site I knew I wanted to try this, especially because it’s so fairly priced.

Chapter 1: The Custodian Keys

A curious discovery grants an audience with the enigmatic custodian of the M.B. Franklin Museum of Natural History. To meet his challenge and prove your worth, you’ll need to uncover the Museum’s best kept secret.

A secret within a museum? I love secrets and I hadn’t been in a museum for so long!

This is what I received (I hid my address and phone number although chocolate was also consumed while playing):

FRONT:

AND BACK (I already felt part of a secret society :-)):

I was surprised how much I found in the envelope, and several items had clues on both sides too:

I won’t show you any close-ups of the individual items because it would spoil the fun to discover everything yourself should you decide to order Chapter 1.

I can tell you that there are 6 puzzles you need to solve that are linked to 6 keys which together in some way unlock the secret of the museum. I was afraid that I wouldn’t know where to start. I experienced this when I solved Crimibox, when I had to read so many papers and I was still unsure where to start the investigation. Here though there’s enough guidance to set you off to a good start and there’s not too much text to read so I could dive in with the first puzzle right away.

The museum has different exhibits with corresponding puzzles and I would name them: Dinosaurs, Egypt, Pirates, Mayas, Knights and Greek. I found out how 5 out of 6 puzzles had to be solved without a problem, I only had to search a little longer on the Dinosaurs and that’s where I used an online hint (there are two separate clues for each exhibit and then the solution so you’ll always get there). Once I knew how to proceed (a puzzle-solving technique I hadn’t used yet) I did feel a little silly so I can say that the puzzles are all very doable. They were not too easy and thankfully not too hard either, if you want to go at it alone.

I had more problems with the keys and how to unlock the secret of the museum with them. I used them the wrong way it seemed but I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. When I look back to when I opened the package I see that the makers did give enough hints. I was curious if I was the only one who struggled with the locks so I went looking for other players and I found a full playthrough on youtube of Cache The Line, he certainly struggled with it as well.

But in the end I found what I was looking for and in finding this number I unlocked the secret exhibit! I went to the webpage with the hints, clicked in the appropriate place at the bottom and filled in the number and the keys that led me there and now I’m a Custodian too!

Would I recommend it?

/

YES, I certainly recommend it! I love this type of puzzle-solving. The game-play is professional and high quality. I spent a few hours playing it so an afternoon off or an evening should do it. Even when it took some time to figure out the puzzles, I could always proceed and it gave me a good feeling. There are always hints and a full walkthrough via the link on their website too so you don’t have to worry too much. Unfortunately, Belgian customs held the envelope back because it came out of the EU (yeah thanks a lot for that!) and I was invited to pay as much duty charges as the actual package cost so I won’t be able to continue to chapter 2. I’m actually feeling a little sad about that. If that wasn’t the case I’d certainly order the next chapter! They normally never have any problems with custom duties but that’s Belgium for you.

Have you played one of the Curious Correspondence Club chapters, or from another provider of this type of game-play? Anyone interested to try it out too? I’d love to hear it!  

The Sherlock Holmes Escape Book by Ormond Sacker #Review

You are Sherlock Holmes… at home at 221b Baker Street, when a mysterious letter is posted through your door. What is the meaning of the message cut from newsprint? Is there a clue hidden in the letters? Could there be more to discover in the fog-bound alleys of London town? This ingenious new series is a spin on the current urban craze for Escape Rooms, in which participants are locked in rooms and must solve the puzzles they find there to make good their escape. Here, the book becomes the locked room, the pages become the path, and the reader can take on a challenge every bit as brain-teasing from the comfort of their own home. Visual clues are hidden among the intriguing illustrations; fiendish riddles, logic puzzles and timed challenges unlock hidden doors and reveal the direction of travel; and mathematical problems provide the codes required to follow the correct path. There are maps and mazes to explore; references to the original Sherlock Holmes adventures to unravel; and a code-wheel that holds the key to unlocking the next page. Solve the puzzles correctly to escape. Get them wrong and you will find yourself further and further along the path to your own demise.

I bought The Sherlock Holmes Escape Book last year because I’m an amateur sleuth at heart (don’t tell me this is news to you). I’m a newbie at this type of puzzle-solving so I didn’t want it getting too complicated and I read a few reviews before I decided to pick this one as my safe bet.

What I loved

This Escape Book has 128 pages of puzzles so I had more than one afternoon of fun with it and for a small price (prices vary a lot for this one but currently it’s 6,72 £). I loved that it was about the characters of Sherlock and Watson too. I don’t know all the books about them and it’s useful at some point but I Googled them when I needed it so it’s not really necessary.

Here’s how it starts: you have text to read and then – often after solving a puzzle on that page – you can turn to another page in the book (so going from 1 to 104 right away) so that you go back and forth constantly.

Here’s another of the puzzles, where there are three possible pages to turn to:

   

What I didn’t love

The puzzles were not always easy or fun to do. Some involved a lot of thinking! There was one that involved maths (the one with the gauges where you have to substract and add numbers to reach a goal) and that’s really not my thing but then there were others where you have to spot items for example and at least you don’t have to have any special skills, just be observant. I did like the variety, where you fail one you can always have more luck with another puzzle, and I was happy that the solutions were simply listed in the back of the novel. I did have to turn to them regularly though, whether to check if I was correct or to know the solution.

What I was most disappointed in was that even though I followed the novel, I ended up with a final entry way too soon. I think I missed half of the book’s puzzles and I have no clue how this could happen. Was it my fault? I tried to go back to see if I made a mistake but I think it’s easier to start from the beginning to follow the trail. I didn’t have the courage to do so now though, maybe I’ll try again later. I’m more into different kinds of puzzles to be honest.

I only recommend it if you’re more into such brain training. I did see on Amazon that there are still plenty of people who do love this kind of challenge.

My top 10 favorite books of 2021

Happy New Year to you! I wish you love, health, success, and general happiness! Oh and lots of great books in the future of course! There are new books being published this year by Ruth Ware, Megan Goldin, Sarah Pinborough, Fiona Cummins, Jennifer Hillier, Alice Feeney, and many others, and I want to read all of them!

But all in good time. For now, you’ll have to make do with my most favourite novels of last year. As always it was a difficult choice and there are at least two, three other titles that deserve to be on this list. I admit I changed the list at the last minute again too, because I still found the last novel I read this year deserved to be on the list too. So here are my ten favorites of 2021:

• Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
• A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews
• Win by Harlan Coben
• While I Was Sleeping by Dani Atkins
• Missing Pieces by Tim Weaver
• Girls Who Lie by Eva Björg AEgisdottir
• No Exit by Taylor Adams
• His & Hers by Alice Feeney
• Deity by Matt Wesolowski
• He Started It by Samantha Downing

If you want to know which one gets the golden buzzer from me I’d have to say it’s No Exit. This was a new author for me and I was blown away. I’d love to reread all of my favorites at one point but this is definitely highest on my list. If you want to feel an adrenaline rush created by book, you need to read No Exit. Highly recommended!

So see anything you like that you haven’t read yet? Any title(s) we share? What’s on your list? Do let me know, I looove putting more books on my readlist 🙂