book review

A long time ago, Chris purchased a DSLR camera. To be honest, this fancy camera sits in a closet in our basement mostly unused. It gets packed for trips but we never end up taking it out of the car with us, as our iPhones seem to capture 99% of our pictures. A shame, really.

And while I am being honest, I will go ahead and tell you that I have no clue how to use the said fancy DSLR camera. Not even a little. Like I don’t even know if I know how to turn it on or snap a picture with it. The thing is, I want to. I want to start taking more pictures of our every day lives, and better quality pictures in general. That is why I got Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

Understanding Exposure is obviously about exposure, but so much more! You learn about exposure, white balance, finding creative exposure. There is a section on aperture, shutter speed, light and it’s importance, and all kinds of information about flash. There is even a section dedicated to special techniques that talks about polarizing filters and multiple exposures.

This book includes beautiful photography that demonstrates the skills that you are learning. There are comparison pictures to show you the difference in lighting, filters, motion, shutter speed, etc. The book explains how you can use all these skills together to create beautiful pictures.

One of the most interesting parts for me was the sections dedicated to starlight and light painting. The stars out here away from the city are so amazing at night and I never tire of looking at them. To be able to capture that on camera would be amazing!!! And who doesn’t like to have fun with light painting?!

There is so much to learn about photography. I am not trying to become a professional by any means, but I certainly feel more informed having read this book. I think there is something in it for everyone, whether you are just starting out like me…or if you are a little more advanced but have room for improvement.

You can learn more about the book here, and meet the author here. Add it to your TBR list with Goodreads here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

It’s book day!!! This was a really good reading month for me, as I had two five star  books and two four star books!! Linking up with Steph and Jana.

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes is a wonderful author. She has a way of sucking you in to her characters and their stories. This was such a great read! I did this one via Audible. I hate when people compare this book to Me Before You. Stop it. That book was amazing, but this book is a complete stand alone and a wonderful story in itself. I loved each of the characters, and while the author switches the POV for different chapters, it is not hard to follow. It started out a little slow for me but once you get in to this book, you are in deep!

Bottom Line: Read it!!! This book made me laugh, smile and cry.

Rating: 5/5

Try Not To Breathe by Holly Seddon

This is a mystery book about a girl named Amy who went missing in 1995 and was found in a vegetative state and has been living in a ward at the hospital ever since. A doctor has discovered that some of his patients do in fact have brain activity and can communicate through research testing. Alex, an alcoholic journalist, is writing a story about Amy and discovers some facts that could lead the police to who actually did this. But can she get her alcoholism under control enough to accomplish that?

This book was both really interesting, but slow moving. I didn’t really understand the whole point of Alex’s alcohol problem and how it played in to the rest of the book until the end. There were certainly some parts that could have sped up or been left out to make the book move along quicker, but it was still a decent read.

Bottom Line: If you like mysteries, this was a decent read. I thought I knew who did it all along but I was actually wrong. Though to be honest, the ending fell a little flat for me.

Rating: 3/5

**I received a copy of Try Not to Breathe from Netgalley but all opinions are  honest and of my own.**

After We Fall by Marquita Valentine

This is mostly a love story, but also a story about surviving and moving on. Evangeline was nearly beaten to death by her husband, and officer Hunter Sloan finds her. He cant get her out of his mind and has a troubled past of his own. They end up as neighbors, but Evangeline has sworn off men and dating for awhile.

Bottom Line: I really liked this book. Some love stories are sort of cheesy or don’t have a lot of depth, but this one was quite enjoyable. The book moves along rather quickly, I finished it in just a few sittings. Read it.

Rating: 4/5

**I received a copy of After We Fall from Netgalley but all opinions are  honest and of my own.**

The Girl From Summer Hill by Jude Deveraux

This is a modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I have never actually read Pride and Prejudice or seen any movie version so I can’t really compare the two but what I will say is that I enjoyed this novel. It took me a little while to get in to, and there was a character in the book I couldn’t stand….but you were supposed to not be able to stand him by the end. I thought this was a really cute retelling and I am glad I read it.

Bottom Line: Whether you liked Pride and Prejudice or not…I think this is a good read. I really enjoyed it and it was cute. Read it.

Rating: 4/5

**I received a copy of The Girl From Summer Hill from Netgalley but all opinions are  honest and of my own.**

Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino

What would you do if you discovered a best selling book was written about your life?!  This book is about two kids who had a rough life and became friends out of necessity for each other, and weren’t aware at the time, but were so much more. This is an epic love story and I connected with Em and Jax/Jase instantly and their story of struggle really touched my heart. There is nothing about this book that I didn’t like. You guys…..this book!!! This is my second book from Renee Carlino and I absolutely loved it! I actually think I like this book even more than Before We Were Strangers which I also rated 5 stars.

Bottom Line: Just read it!!!!!!!!!! I am going to go ahead and say it, probably one of my top reads so far this year. Cant wait to see what Renee releases next.

Rating: 5/5

**I received a copy of  Swear On This Life from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review, all opinions are  honest and of my own.**

Other books I read this month

4×4 Diet by Erin Oprea

The Rooftop Growing Guide by Annie Novak

Read any good books lately?

I have been trying to get a garden together for awhile now. Mainly I have just been lazy and have not done the proper research to see what I can grow in the space that I have. Basically, I need to have a container garden and so that can be a little more limiting. When I saw The Rooftop Growing Guide, I thought….this is going to be perfect for me! I was right!

Now, don’t let the title of the book fool you. This book is so much more than just rooftop growing. There is an entire section dedicated to container growing as well! Plus it gives you all kinds of tips and information on different types of containers and materials used for them. It talks about all different varieties of plants and where and when they thrive. You also learn about weather planning, pest control, soil choices, layouts for the garden, and the tools you need to be successful.

I would say that this isn’t just a beginners guide and that everyone could learn something from this book. Not to mention that there are gorgeous pictures in it! Yup, it is safe to say that I am ready to give this gardening thing a real try this spring!!!

Add this book to your Goodreads list.

Learn more about The Rooftop Growing Guide.

Learn more about the author, Annie Novak.

I received a copy of The Rooftop Growing Guide from Blogging for Books for my honest review. All opinions are of my own. 

My level of fitness and healthy eating has always been a struggle throughout my life. There are days, weeks, months where I am just on it all the time. Then there are days, weeks, months where I ride the struggle bus and fall off the wagon hard. It is something that I constantly have to work at.

Of course, I know the basics. Eat right and exercise. It isn’t mind blowing. There are no magic pills or fad diet that is going to get the weight off and keep it off. It is about lifestyle and commitment.

The 4×4 Diet by Erin Oprea is a wonderful book, no matter your fitness level or knowledge of nutrition. Are there mind blowing secrets in this book? If you know a good deal about health and fitness, then no. But what the book does provide is not only a simple plan to follow, but the why behind everything that she is telling you to do.

What I really liked about the book is that she talks to two groups of people, those who are completely inactive and unhealthy, and those who are giving some effort but could make some improvements.

Erin sets up a meal plan, tells you how to grocery shop and prep foods. She tells you what you need to cut back on, when to eat certain foods, and has a work out plan that fits in to anyone’s schedule. I MEAN ANYONE. You have four minute a day, right? Yes, yes you do!

There are recipes and detailed pictures of the high intensity four minute work outs. At the end of the book, there is a four week plan to follow to make these adjustments in your life to come out on the other side lean and healthy. All of the changes are lifestyle changes that you can carry with you forever, not just for four weeks.

Did I mention that Erin Oprea is the woman behind Carrie Underwood’s legs? Do I even need to say anything else?!

Basically, I cant say enough good things about this book so check it out!

To learn more about the book, go here.

To learn more about Erin Oprea, go here.

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.