First things first, can I get a ROLL TIDE ROLL BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Man oh man oh man what a game last night!!! I stood the entire forth quarter running in place in my living room I had so much balled up nervous energy. The team really came together and proved they deserved to be there. I haven’t seen a team so unified in a long time and I couldn’t be more proud of my boys. Even if I did yell at Coker a few times in the first half and basically woke up without a voice this morning. I am pretty sure all of Alabama yelled Roll Tide last night!!!
Another Moriarty win for me! This time she gets me to question what I would do if I fell in love with someone who has a stalker. I found this book very interesting, not only for the actual story line but also to get a glimpse in to hypnotherapy and the view through a stalker’s eyes. This book was a little different than some of Moriarty’s other books that seem to have a three person pattern which Lauren pointed out to me. This one follows Ellen (the hypnotist) and Saskia (the stalker.)
Bottom Line: There isn’t a Moriarty book that I haven’t loved so far. This was a great read.
I have talked about wanting to start a garden and I am hoping 2016 is the year to make this happen! This book has great tips and goes into much detail on some very important aspects of gardening. Learn how to map out your garden, soiling, how to keep up with it, etc. There are useful charts that you can reference back to throughout the life of your garden.
Bottom Line: If you are looking to get in to gardening, then this is for you! I highly recommend getting a hard copy of this book. E-books are not the best for flipping back and forth!
*I was provided a copy of High-Yield Vegetable Gardening by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
This happens to be book 2 in the Take the Fall series, but I found that I didn’t need the first book to enjoy this one. This is your typical good girl falls for the bad boy love story. The bad boy of course is trying to get his life back together and tries to distance himself from the good girl, but will he give in and allow himself to be loved? I enjoyed the tattoo parlor scenes and the social work thrown in to the mix. It made for some interesting reading.
Bottom Line: This was a quick and easy read for me. I enjoyed the characters and story. It was your basic good girl bad boy formula. Nothing mind blowing, but it passed the time just fine and I would recommend it.
*I was provided a copy of When We Fall by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
When I read the description of this book, I thought hmmmm what would I do if I won the lottery??? (Which funny enough is such a relevant topic today with that huge pot up for grabs!!!) Holly is a single mom working a minimum wage job and down on her luck. When her co-worker Ray suggests that they split a lottery ticket, she just hands over her $1 bill and doesn’t think much of it. Their luck changes when they realize they have the winning ticket!!! Things start to spark up between them, but then there are lawyers and media and exes trying to get in the way.
Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this book because it is a different plot line. I liked how raw Ray is in this book. I like that it isn’t just rainbows and butterflies because they won the lottery. It shows the full picture of how it can change your life. I would recommend it.
*I was provided a copy of Rolling in the Deep by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
This book was suggested to me because I like Janet Evanovich. I can totally see why after reading it. You have the frustrating love triangle between the leading lady (Juliet) and her two men…the guy she has know for awhile, the “safe choice” (Pete) and the mysterious bad ass that she knows is wrong but desires anyway (Seth.) Juliet moves back to Nashville to help manage Pete’s coffee shop after learning that her fiance is a lying asshole who took off with all of her money. On her first day, she find’s her new employee Dave’s body in a dumpster. She is the only suspect the police have so she needs to find other suspects to take the heat off her.
Bottom Line: This was a fun read and I recommend it if you like the Stephanie Plum series!
*I was provided a copy of Death Before Decaf by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Stephanie and Jana are giving us a bonus book link up today!
I basically copied my initial reviews of these books from throughout the year. All of these stuck out over the other books, but overall I have had a great year of reading!! I found a new favorite author, hello Liane Moriarty!!! I made it through a science book and it made the top of my list and didn’t make me want to shoot my brains out! I read a fictional history book and thoroughly enjoyed it (The Boy Who Dared). I read more this year than I ever have before. To say I was reacquainted with an old love is an understatement.
Words cannot describe my love for this book. And trust me, I was super skeptical when I read about what this book was about. I even saw others write about how the math and science talk was a little hard to get through but they still loved it and I thought…no….there is no way this is for me. But Kristen recommended the audio book to me and I trust her tastes dearly. I became obsessed with the story. So much so that I madeLaura start listening to it, and I even told two of my co-workers that they had to listen to it too. This is hands down the best book I have read this year.
I read and loved The Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lie’s last month, so I wanted to keep binging on my love for Liane Moriarty. What Alice Forgot was such an amazing read! I think it is my new favorite from Moriarty. I liked that you learn about Alice’s life through some of her memories, but more so through Elizabeth’s letters to her psychiatrist and Frannie’s letters to her fiance. This book really made me think about what would happen if I lost 10 years of my life. I share snippets here on this blog, but it has me wondering if I should start keeping a journal as well.
This book also has me thinking about relationships. Not just my relationship with my husband…but my family and friends as well. Every relationship we have has it’s ups and downs, and as long as your good memories out weigh the bad, then shouldn’t it be considered a success? It made me think about the little things that we can get caught up on that in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t matter. It also made me think about myself as a teenager and twenty something. What would my younger self think of my current self? Would she be proud?
Bottom Line: This was a great book! I did this via audiobook like I did the other two by Liane Moriarty. I highly recommend this author!
To be honest, I had no clue what this book was going to be about. I remember seeing a few bloggers reviewing it and they always rated it really high, so I figured why not?! Basically, this book is just as the title says, it is snippets of AJ Fikry’s life. Fikry owns a bookstore and he is a bit of an eccentric guy who is living a depressing life after loosing his wife. One day his life changes when something is left behind for him. Now he has the will to want to be happy.
Favorite quotes and take aways from this book would be:
You learn everything about a person with the question – what is your favorite book?
Most people’s problems would be solved if they would only give more things a chance.
Things we respond to at twenty are not necessarily the things we respond to at forty and vice versa.
Bottom Line – Absolutely read this book! I loved it!
This is another book I consumed via Audible. Again, loved the accents and voices for each character! There are several characters to keep up with in this book, but once I got a few minutes in to it…I had no issues keeping them straight. I love the way that this author writes, and I think that is what draws me into her novels.
Since I don’t have kids, I never really thought about the politics that can occur with parents at a school. Especially with kindergartners! But my goodness, is there some politics, gossip, and drama!!! I really loved how each of the character’s stories were really built up. I felt like I knew the main characters on a personal level. Not to mention the secondary characters as well. This is my second Moriarty book and I feel like she always raises the question….how far are you willing to go for your family and friends. I like a book that leaves you questioning scenarios in your own life. They all seem completely plausible after you are wrapped up in to it!
Bottom Line: This was quite an enjoyable read, I highly recommend this book and the author! I loved the school politics, the small town drama and the twists on how everyone is connected.
This book. This book gave me all the feels!!!! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started. I knew the book was written from a dogs perspective and I guess I thought it was going to be happy go lucky. But no. It was so deep, thoughtful and honestly…I straight up cried a few different times.
Not to give too much away, but the book basically tells the story of Enzo’s life through his own eyes. Enzo is the dog, obviously. His master, Denny, is a race car driver and the book uses a lot of race analogies and vocabulary to understand how to drive through life. There are several twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting when I picked this book up. I sort of saw them coming once I got in to it, but that wasn’t an issue for me.
Some of my favorite quotes were:
“That which you manifest is before you.”
“No race has ever been won in the first corner; many races have been lost there”.
Bottom Line – Absolutely read this book!!! Especially if you are a dog lover, but even if you aren’t. Literally all of the feels.
Sometimes I wonder if there is any humanity left in this world, and then I read a book like Rescue Road. I love dogs and want to save them all. Talk about pulling at my heart strings. This book follows a man who drives a rescue trailer from Ohio, down south to gather dogs from shelters and rescues and brings them back up north to be adopted. You get to hear about his story, along with three rescue groups who are doing amazing things. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who touch the life of a dog before they find their forever home. All the nameless angels. It really is amazing.
My favorite quote from this book is “As the miles melt away so do a lifetime of bad memories” – Greg Mahle
Bottom Line – I cried, I smiled, and then I cried some more. If you are an animal lover in the least bit, this book is for you.
This is the first book in Skye Jordan’s Renegade series, and this book was awesome!!! We meet Lexi, a couture wedding dress designer who has some pretty powerful and famous clients. Lexi’s best friend is a tech nerd who develops an app that she wants Lexi to try out while waiting for a flight to NYC. The same flight that the hot Jax whom she caught eye contact with in the drop off lane in front of the airport is on. Lexi starts to anonymously text Jax through this app and they hit it off. Unfortunately, both of them have been hurt in the past for being used. The love story that builds throughout this book is incredible. Sometimes being reckless reaps big rewards, sometimes it leaves you broken. I also loved that Lexi was a fashion designer. It was fun to read about her passion.
Bottom Line – I loved this book and highly recommend it. You get a risk, a love story, some hot passion, haute couture fashion and a bad boy. Probably one of my favorite reads this month!
This book started off at a drag race and Jordan looking for a guy to replace the interior of her 370Z that she bought at a police auction. I was sold. I used to love going to car shows and stuff like this when I was younger. It was so thrilling! Anyways, back to the book. Next thing you know, Jordan is being kidnapped by the man who is stealing her car. But there is a deeper story behind why the car is being stolen. Never has a kidnapping been so painful to read about as you feel sorry for the girl AND her kidnapper!
Nic Medina was in prison for seven years because a dirty cop put him there. And now the dirty cop had blackmailed him in to stealing Jordan’s car. He didn’t mean to kidnap her too and now he is just trying to make it right. Nic carries a lot of guilt about what happened to his sister and brother while he was in prison. He would do anything protect his family and friends. Soon Jordan falls under his protection as well.
This book leaves off on a huge cliffhanger. I heard the next book doesn’t come out for another year. OMG!!!! I am like…
Bottom Line: Read this book!!! It was so good and I had the hardest time putting it down. I basically devoured it in about two days. Action, romance, hot cars, what is not to love?
I consumed this book via Audible, and I have to say that I enjoyed the reader’s accent! This book starts out going from character to character in each chapter, back and forth inter-winding the story. Cecelia discovers a letter that her husband wrote to her to be opened in the event of his death. How can you not read that if you found it sooner? This book basically follows how that one letter effects the lives of others around them. I enjoyed all three characters stories and plot lines and how they came together at the end. What I really appreciated was the epilogue to update where they were and what would have happened had that one major event not occurred. It really made you think.
Bottom Line: Once I got a few chapters in and got to know the characters, I became very interested and had to know what was going to happen next! I would say that this is a must read. I laughed, I felt touched by the struggles these characters went through, and I was drawn in from the beginning needing to hear more and more.
I listened to this one via audiobook. This book is based on a true story/experience. It changes perspectives from present day Helmut in jail to memories of his past that lead up to him being in jail. I immediately related to the character. While I obviously am not German nor did I live in the WWII era, I can appreciate how people felt back then. I loved how Helmut had his own thoughts. He was told that all the books he reads must be German, but he thinks that is ridiculous and loves his American Western novels. He sees Jewish people being treated badly and it upsets him. He tunes in to the BBC radio in the evenings to get the true story about what is going on around the world, not what is fed to him by the German government. Standing up for what you believe in at such a young age is a very brave thing to do.
When Helmut goes to jail for simply speaking the truth, it is rather eye opening to realize how many people this really happened to then. I insist that if you do read or listen to this book, you stick around for the author notes.
What I find the most interesting is that this stuff still goes on today. I am not so naive to think that our own government doesn’t hide certain truths from us, but even worse in other countries. Look at North and South Korea!! The people of North Korea were told recently that their astronauts landed on Saturn. Saturn!!! Last checked, Saturn is a gas giant planet. Only about 1,000 people (mostly North Korean government) have internet in that whole country. Just crazy, right?!?! They have no way of knowing what is really going on.
Bottom Line: I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction, or just want to understand more about Germany and the Hitler Youth. While all the events are not real, they are based on a real person and the author did extensive research to make the most plausible story.
Most of you know by now that I am fairly health conscious through the week. Of course, my weekend shenanigans posts will tell a different story. Hello food porn! But in general, over the last few years I have been much more aware of the types of foods I am putting in my mouth, the cleaners that I use have less to no chemicals now and I have been slowly converting my rubbermaid containers to glass.
I believe that what you eat can dictate how you look and feel. The healthier I eat, the better my body feels. Simple enough. But did you also know that certain foods can help different areas of your body function better? When I read about The Longevity Kitchen, I instantly thought about Chris. He suffers from chronic back pain and inflammation. He also has to watch his blood pressure. I suffer from asthma, can have a crappy immune system at times and I have to keep my sweet tooth in check. We both have pretty bad allergies.
The Longevity Kitchen has 125 recipes using the top 16 foods proven to fight the most chronic conditions. There are menu plans that you can follow for your main concerns. I plan on incorporating these 16 power foods in our weekly rotations to see if there is going to be any improvements. I am really excited to try out some of these recipes. I have my eyes on:
Gluten-Free Blueberry Mini Muffins
Bento Box Soup
Minted Guacamole with Pomegranate Seeds
Yogurt Berry Brulee with Maple Almond Brittle
Insanely Good Chocolate Brownies (that have no added sugar and use almond flour!!!!)
There are also lots of recipes for different marinades, dressings, sauces and even directions for how to make your own almond flour!
What I really love about this book? It is more than just a cookbook. At the beginning, there are a few chapters talking about the science behind the foods we eat. It goes in to length about the main functions of our bodies and why certain foods are important. There is even a culinary pharmacy section that breaks down certain foods and tells you beneficial facts of each food. Like did you know that almonds are antioxidant, blood sugar regulators and help with heart health? Or that coconut milk/oil is an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and supports bone health.
Before the recipes start, there is a break down to tell you what pages to look for what ails you. Immune boosters, stress reducers, mind enhancers, blood sugar regulators, flexibility promoters, liver boosters, heart strengtheners, skin enrichers, and LDL cholesterol reducers.
If you have a certain condition that you would like to try to treat naturally, I would check this book out! Or even if you just want to make sure you are incorporating healthy foods in to your daily diet.
First of all, this book takes place around Christmas time!!! YES!!!! When I read the synopsis, I felt like the book sort of had the same premise of The Holiday. I just adored that movie. A lot of the characters that are in the gingerbread cafe series are in this book. You don’t have to have read those books to appreciate this one (I didn’t). This is actually the first book in Rebecca Raisin’s Paris series.
I really loved how Sarah owned a bookshop and how she describes her books as her babies. How she can hear her books speak to her. You really felt like you were in her little shop! And her descriptions of Paris made me want to visit there!!! This would be a great read for the travel lover. Sarah has a bit of a struggle adapting to the faster pace environment of Paris, and is homesick being away from her friends and little town. The book store keeps her busy but she starts to settle in and really experience the City of Love. Getting to see Paris through Sarah’s eyes was so much fun!
After reading about all the sites, shops and food around Paris…I am ready for my visit!! If you are in the mood for a light, heart warming read, this book is for you! It was so cute.
Bottom Line: This is my second Rebecca Raisin book, and I really enjoy her as an author. I highly recommend this book to people who just love books, love to travel or just want a warm and fuzzy read. Especially one that is holiday themed!
*I was provided a copy of The Little Bookshop on the Seine by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I read and loved The Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lie’s last month, so I wanted to keep binging on my love for Liane Moriarty. What Alice Forgot was such an amazing read! I think it is my new favorite from Moriarty. I liked that you learn about Alice’s life through some of her memories, but more so through Elizabeth’s letters to her psychiatrist and Frannie’s letters to her fiance. This book really made me think about what would happen if I lost 10 years of my life. I share snippets here on this blog, but it has me wondering if I should start keeping a journal as well.
This book also has me thinking about relationships. Not just my relationship with my husband…but my family and friends as well. Every relationship we have has it’s ups and downs, and as long as your good memories out weigh the bad, then shouldn’t it be considered a success? It made me think about the little things that we can get caught up on that in the grand scheme of things, doesn’t matter. It also made me think about myself as a teenager and twenty something. What would my younger self think of my current self? Would she be proud?
Bottom Line: This was a great book! I did this via audiobook like I did the other two by Liane Moriarty. I highly recommend this author!
I did this via audiobook, and loved that Aziz is the one to read it. He cracks me up! This book is more than just a funny comedy. There is actual research, study groups, etc that is shared to discuss how people meet and get in to relationships. It was stated that in 2010 25% of people met online. It was cool that Aziz actually mentions OKCupid. Chris and I can be a statistic that was married off from that site! Of course, this is much more common now than it even was then. It still felt like people shamed online relationships back then.
Bottom Line: This is a great read. Not only do you laugh, but you might learn a thing or two. Or at least be able to spit out some new statistics in a conversation!
Inconceivable is sort of a modern day Cinderella story. You had the poor girl, the rich step sister, a fairy godmother and an evil step mom. But with a twist! Because the fairy godmother was a good looking guy with tattoos. Allie was given a little black box after her step father passed away. When she opens it, she doesn’t realize how her life is about to be changed. The little black box is supposed to be passed on, so this sets up for a series of books based on what is inside the little black box!
The moral of the story: You might not always need what you think you you want.
Bottom Line: This was a cute twist on Cinderella that I finished in the matter of just a few hours. I enjoyed it well enough to pass the time. It wasn’t mind blowing by any means, but I enjoyed it.
*I was provided a copy of Inconceivable by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
As you all know, I try to stay on the healthy eating wagon (at least during the week). But let’s be real for a minute ok? It can get really boring. I tend to fall in to the trap of making the same recipes over and over for a month or so and finally either Chris or I will be like ummm let’s change it up this week!!!
I was really excited when I opened the box to my Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook! It has over 350 healthy recipes inside! There is a wide variety of different types of recipes from main dishes, drinks, sides, snacks, etc. Some of these recipes seem quick and easy and others are more advanced. Now, I knew nothing about Trim Healthy Mama before getting this cookbook, so I didn’t realize they have a whole blog and brand. I just get excited about healthy recipes!
At the beginning of the book it talks about the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle and talks about the different tags for the recipes. Like there is FP for fuel pull, S for satisfying, E for energizing, etc. It also tells you the tools and such that you will need in your kitchen. This book is all about lifestyle, not just a diet.
Some recipes that stand out to me:
-Just Like Campbell’s Tomato Soup
-Jalapeno Onion Burgers
-Banana Bread Pudding
-Drive Thru Sue Cheesy Crackers
One thing that really bothers me about most of the recipes is that they require Trim Healthy Mama products. These products have to be ordered online and they are a tad on the pricey side. See here. I can appreciate the healthy alternatives needed for the recipes but I don’t want to have to get on a website to order those things. What I will say is at the bottom of most of these recipes it will tell you substitutes so you can make it shopping from your regular grocery store. It is just most often, you will be adding calories/changing the nutrition of them.
There are also ingredients that I just don’t keep on hand or use for anything else. They give you a list of things that you may not have on hand that they suggest having for the recipes though, so at least you know in advance.
Now, I wanted to share a recipe from the book for your holiday gatherings!!!
Cranberry Wassail (makes 2 quarts)
What you Need:
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp who cloves
3 star anise (optional)
1/4 tsp pure stevia extract
2 tsp orange extract (or a few drops of pure essential orange oil)
What you do:
1.Put the cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise into a large pot and cover with about 1 1/2 quarts of water. Place lid on pot and bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and brew for 1 hour.
2.Fit a 2 quart jug or larger jug with a circle of fine cheesecloth, tying it over the mouth of the jar, or insert a funnel type coffee filter into the mouth of the jug. (You can use the permanent filter from your coffee maker.) Using a ladle, scoop the mixture into your filter to strain it into the jar. YOu might need to swish things around in the filter or remove mush to allow the liquid through occasionally.
3. Remove the filter and add very hot water to top of jar. Add the stevia and orange extract, stir very well, and taste.
Serving Suggestion: Pour the wassail into a warmed crockpot to enjoy on Thanksgiving or Christmas day with guests.
Read more about Trim Healthy Mama here. You can follow along with the Trim Healthy Mama on Facebook and Twitter!
**I received this book from Blogging for Books but all opinions are honest and of my own. **
