I am really excited to share an amazing cookbook with you guys!!!! Do you follow Danielle Walker from Against all Grain? If you are looking for healthy or paleo recipes, you need to add that site to your list. She shares all kinds of amazing recipes!!! Well, on September 27th, her new cookbook Celebrationscomes out. The blurb on the cover says, “A year of gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo recipes for every occasion.” Ummm, yes please!!!
The second this book arrived on my doorstep I tore the package open and started flipping through the pages. First of all, the book looks great and has gorgeous pictures. What I love specifically about Celebrations is that the book is divided in to chapters of meal ideas for specific occasions. She covers everything from the bigger holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, to smaller occasions like Mother’s Day, Game Day, and BBQs. She also shares her top 10 tips for effortless entertaining, kitchen gear, and there is a glossary and substitutes for certain ingredients. There are a few basic recipes in the back for ketchup, ghee, etc, and even a conversion chart.
The recipes shared in each chapter give you great ideas on what to serve for those particular events, but these are recipes that can be used in your every day life as well! Each chapter covers everything from appetizers, the main course to dessert and drinks. Some of my favorite recipes I have seen and can’t wait to try (besides the tons of grain free cakes she shares) are….
Berry Tarte with vanilla bean custard
Ginger Ale (yes your own way to make it!!!!)
BLTA Burger with Special Sauce
Baked “Beans”
Eggs Benedict Strata
Salted Caramel-Chocolate Panna Cotta
Cabernet-braised Short Ribs with Parsnip-Turnip Puree
Carnitas on Tostones
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Mulled Wine
Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Annnnnd basically every other recipe in this book. I am telling you, everything looks so good!!!
I think this book would be a great addition to your collection, or the perfect gift for your grain free friends! I already have a few meals picked out to try in the next few weeks and I know this book will get a ton of use when I go back to Whole 30/Paleo after baby is born.
**I received an advanced copy of Celebrations through Blogging for Books for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**
It’s that time again!!! Show Us Your Books with Steph and Jana is my favorite day of the month in blog land. Last month I added quite a few to my TBR, as one tends to do! I also promised myself I wasn’t going to add any more books to my Netgalley shelf so that I could focus on clearing it out. And ummm while I did read a few books from it, I also added more. I CANT HELP IT! So let’s take a look at my books lately.
You guys know my love for Liane Moriarty, so I was really excited and anticipating the day that I could download this book on Audible! When I first started listening, I was a little bored and confused with all the jumping around. I just wanted to know what the hell happened at the BBQ?!?!?! You don’t really start to find out what happened until you are a good 8 hours in to the book. It is a loooong book! I did finally start getting in to it after the first few hours and enjoyed it. You really get to know all the characters. My favorite was probably Tiffany. I couldn’t stand Erika most of the book and Clementine got on my nerves as well. But even though I didn’t care for them, it was still a good read.
Bottom Line: If you are a Liane Moriarty fan, then you need to give this book a go! I will say, it is not my favorite by her though. I enjoyed What Alice Forgot and Big Little Lies much more.
Rating: 3.5/5
Audio Comment: I have listened to every Liane Moriarty book via audiobook and I have to say the accent for the neighbor (Vid) was just awful at times. I got used to it after the first few hours and it quit bothering me so much.
One of the main characters in this book suffers from depression. It is certainly a harder topic to read about because as in real life, those that suffer from depression make me feel so helpless. It is a battle within them and there isn’t really anything you can do to help them. This book alternates between four characters: Abby (the wife who is depressed), Ryan (the husband who is a football coach), Juliana (their daughter) and Lauren (Abby and Ryan’s college friend.)
To keep from spoilers, basically something happened in the past that keeps haunting Abby and when the truth bubbles to the service, it threatens to destroy them all. I feel like this book brings light to a topic that many people try to avoid, mental illness. It does so in a tasteful, realistic way. I didn’t mind the chapters skipping POV because it is important for the story.
Bottom Line:If you are looking for a heavier chic lit read, then this is for you. If you or someone you know suffers from depression….this book might either help you understand your loved one and perhaps make you feel not so alone.
Rating:3.5/5
I received an advanced copy of Where We Fall from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
This one was on my TBR for awhile and so many of my friends gave it five star reviews so I knew I had to read it. I have to be in a certain mood to handle historical fiction, as it’s not my favorite genre to read.
This book! I had so many emotions and thoughts. There are two things that really stuck out to me in this book. At one point one of the characters wondered how this war could happen just because people worship different gods. Isn’t it crazy how this is still an issue today? And another thing is how people just assumed The Nightingale was a man because no woman could possibly do what The Nightingale did. In fact, the women were treated so badly in this book between prodding them like animals, stealing their food, whipping them, raping them. It is just crazy. I like to think we have moved forward as a society, but I still feel that women are not perceived as smart as men or as capable as men sometimes.
Reading about WWII is a heavy subject, but this book was written so beautifully. I really enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. You really get sucked in to the characters and the war from their point of view.
Bottom Line: Read it!!! This book is very enjoyable and I believe no matter the genre you prefer, you can take something from it.
Rating: 5/5
Audio Comment: I really enjoyed the narrator for this book, her voice is pleasant and her accents are on point.
I was drawn to this book because the premise reminds me of Grace and Frankie, a show that I really enjoy. The book starts out with a huge shock, Caroline’s husband Adam of 17 years has cheated on her with another man. We also find out he has other secrets too and now Caroline is questioning her whole life and everything she thought she knew.
I really loved the relationship between Caroline and her sister Ruby. And I was engaged throughout the book as Caroline tried to discover who she was as an individual. At times I felt the book was a little simple, like I wanted a little more about Adam and the why. There are certainly some deeper emotions dealt with, like Caroline having to work through her anger and grief surrounding the dissolve of her long marriage. Yet it was done simply. If that makes sense?
Bottom Line: I enjoyed reading this book and found myself thinking several times about how a person is supposed to handle such a shock like this. If you like chic lit, I would say give it a try.
Rating:4/5
I received an advanced copy of Results May Vary from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
I felt like this book was a little repetitive and not a whole lot of action going on. The characters were alright, I didn’t hate them but I wasn’t super invested in any of them either. I don’t even really have anything else to say about this book. Your typical, shallow YA read.
Bottom Line: This book was alright, but I think her other books I have read were better.
Rating: 2.5/5
Audio comment: The narrator for this book is pleasant to listen to. The only thing I didn’t care for was her attempt at a New York accent. That was pretty terrible.
While I love Harry Potter and many other books and movies, I don’t really get the fangirling over things to the extent of writing my own stories and being so obsessed with everything that surrounds it. So that part of the book I didn’t relate to. What I did relate to, was Cath’s attitude about meeting new people and college at first. I remember wanting to stay in my comfort bubble that time of my life as well. I could have done without the readings from Simon Snow books before each chapter. While it sometimes related to the chapter material, I felt it was sort of a waste of time. I wish they would have focused even more on Cath’s relationship with Levi or her sister and less on the readings from her fanfic or the Simon Snow books. I was also somehow a little disappointed with the ending. Like I wanted more.
Bottom Line: I really loved Attachments, this one was just meh for me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the book but it wasn’t my favorite. It just sort of passed the time.
Rating: 3/5
Audio Comments: The narrator was decent to listen to.
I really liked the premise of this book. You basically bounce between present time and memories, which I liked the flow of. Mia is in a horrible car accident and she is sort of trapped between living and dying and has the decision if she should stay or not. I don’t really feel like the characters were very developed in this book. I enjoyed my time while I was listening to it, but it wasn’t amazing and I will probably forget about it soon. I did tear up during two different parts though, so I guess it did manage to tug at my heart strings.
Bottom Line:If you are looking for a decent read to pass the time, this has a different premise which I enjoyed.
This is a nonfiction book that is supposed to be taken as humor on being a woman and getting older. I related to some of her rants about maintenance of taking care of your hair and shaving and exercising, etc. And she was right on about all the ridiculous products we get sucked in to buying just to look younger.
Bottom Line: I related to many of the topics that were covered and at times it was entertaining. Nothing mind blowing. This is a quick read, about three hours. I think anyone from their 30’s and up could relate and laugh along to a few points in this book.
Linking up with Steph and Jana for another month of Show Us Your Books! I feel like a read a few really good ones this month. In fact, they were all decent reads.
This book you guys!!! I had all the feels. I literally blubbered through sections of it and it was so captivating. Let’s get real for a second, shall we? Alzheimer’s scares the shit out of me more than most diseases. I mean, cancer is awful. But Alzheimer’s? It literally strips away every piece of you and leaves you a confused and lost soul. It is so hard for not only the victim of the disease, but the family and friends. I think that this book really put it in to the correct perspective and it was so beautifully done.
Bottom Line: Just read it!!!!
Rating: 5/5
Audio comment: I consumed this via audio book and the narrator wasn’t my favorite. She was sort of monotone but the story was so good I didn’t care.
I always feel like you can never go wrong with a Jane Green read. They are usually consistently good and easy reads. The premise of the book didn’t really excite me at first. I am not really a fan of reading about cheating in a marriage. I can’t understand that mindset. I have never, could never, would never cheat on anyone. Ever. So it is hard for me to read about it. However, the story line was very interesting. You really get to know the main character, Gabby, and all her thoughts and feelings.
There was one character that I got really mad at for the way she acted, but it was all part of the story and necessary so I get it. I felt like the author didn’t rush the story line and really let things build up and have a solid foundation. I will say that the ending was a bit too perfect of a bow.
Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this book. It had well developed characters and a decent plot. It was a solid read, what you would expect from Jane Green.
Rating: 4/5
Audio comment:Jane Green narrates this book herself so you get to hear it exactly as she meant for you too. I enjoyed it. And her English accent 🙂
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book at first. Mainly I was irritated that Lila would let her husband’s job take over her entire life. He didn’t want her to have friends or go back to a job she loved because he was afraid of being exposed. It’s one thing if you live cautiously for your job, but you can’t expect your entire family to miss out on life happiness because of it! Besides that fact, I feel like we really got to know Lila as a character.
Bottom Line: The book dragged just a little in a few spots for me, but overall I enjoyed it. I would recommend it if you are looking for a light chick-lit type read.
Rating: 3/5
I received a copy of The Restaurant Critic’s Wife from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
This is my second read from Sarah Dessen. In the very beginning of the book, you get right to the main plot line…Haley receives a call from her best friend Scarlett while away at camp. Scarlett’s boyfriend just died in a motorcycle accident. Oh, and then we find out she’s pregnant with his baby.
This has your typical YA story line of the good girl falling for the bad boy, the transformation of a relationship with the best friend, an overbearing parent, and your typical high school drama. I really liked that things weren’t so perfect and the ending didn’t really wrap everything up in to a bow. It left something for you to wonder about.
Bottom Line: This is a solid YA read and I enjoyed it.
I actually read this book in about three sittings over two days. That is a rarity for me. What I really liked is that we got some character development before a romantic relationship ensues. I hate books where the relationship is rushed. I also really loved the plot line of this book with Honor’s issues with her family and her upbringing. The side characters had some development as well. I didn’t really care for the whole Lexi and Sullivan line because I felt like it was randomly thrown in. There is a little action in the book with crime going on in the neighborhood which was interesting too. The only thing I didn’t really care for is how perfect Jason was. No one is that amazing LOL.
Bottom Line: If you are in to love stories with a decent plot line, I would suggest this book. I appreciated that there was some depth.
Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of Don’t Tempt Me from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
This is a really cute love story between two people who were friends for a long time and realized they wanted more than that. It is the second book in a series, which I was not aware of until I went to add it to my Goodreads. You don’t need to read the first one to enjoy this one.
Bottom Line: If you are looking for a light and fluffy love story, then this is it! There are a few hot and heavy scenes in the book, so I don’t recommend it if you are more conservative with your reads.
Rating: 3.5/5
I received a copy of Sunset in Central Park from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
I was really hoping to have this one completed for the link up but it is really long!!! I am doing it via Audible and I still have 9 hours left after listening to it for a week on my commute! I am enjoying it, but not as much as some of the other reads by her.
I was excited about Dani and Erin’s Read My Books link up for the month of June because I have a serious hoarding issue when it comes to books! I keep requesting more books on Netgalley, downloading free ebooks when I see them on Bookbub, and picking up actual copy of books from thrift stores if I see a good deal on one I wanted. I don’t have near as many physical books as I do ebooks, so I mainly focused on my Netgalley list. You know, because archives and stuff. Oops!
It’s book day! Crazy how fast that comes every month, right?! For June, my goal was to get through as many books on my shelf in Netgalley as I possibly could. You know, so I can request more and keep up my ration. Ha! But also to follow along with Dani and Erin‘s Read My Books challenge. Full disclosure, One True Loves was the only book that I did not have prior to this month, the rest I pulled from my Netgalley shelf from requests that were approved before June. A few of them may have been archived for more than a month….oops. Better late that never. Obviously I am also linking up with the queen(s) of books, Steph and Jana!
This book is a retelling of Taming of the Shrew. One of my favorite movies, 10 Things I Hate About You is also a retelling of Taming of the Shrew. I found myself thinking of those characters a little as I read this novel. The book is short, less than 250 pages and I felt like Anne Tyler did a good job at retelling the famous comedy. The writing itself was great and if I didn’t know it was a retelling, I would have compared it to Taming of the Shrew.
Had this story been just a modern day tale, there are a few things that would have irked me about how Kate was just supposed to submit to her father and marry Pyotr. The way he is always expecting Kate to take care of him like its her life duty and such. But I appreciate all her snark and the contrast between her and her sister Bunny.
Bottom Line: If you are looking for a good retelling of Taming of the Shrew, this is it. It is a quick, summer read.
Rating: 3/5
I received a copy of Vinegar Girl from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
I knew that when I saw this on Kristen’s list last month. it would be right up my alley. I really enjoyed this book. What would you do if your husband was thought to be dead and you had moved on with someone else…..only to realize that he never died. I really liked the characters in this book, both guys were likable as was Emma. This was a beautifully told love story and I had my mind made up about half way through where I wanted Emma to end up in the end. And I loved loved loved the ending.
This book was just ok for me. There was a lot of action and an interesting story line, but it didn’t pick up as much as I would have liked until I was 80% in to the book. While I appreciate all the crime scene analysis and details that make up the story, it was sort of boring at the same time. Perhaps I just wasn’t in the mood for this type of book when I read it? The book did make me question whether you should do the right thing or the legal thing. How I would feel if the justice system failed me. And my thoughts on vigilantes.
Bottom Line: If you are in to crime books, this would be a good option for you. I really did like the story line and concept of the book.
Rating: 3/5
I received a copy of That Darkness from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
I am a huge Janet Evanovich fan, I just love her Stephanie Plum series. I also recently read one of the books from her Fox and O’Hare series a few months back and it was great too. Curious Minds is (hopefully) a new series with Janet Evanovich pairing with Phoef Sutton. I really enjoyed this book!!! I liked Riley, the lead female character. She is sort of quirky like Stephanie Plum, but maybe put together a little more. And then there is Emmerson, the eccentric millionaire that grabbed my heart. These two made quite the team while trying to solve the mystery of fake gold in the Federal Reserve. I literally read this book in one day, that is how much I enjoyed it. I just flowed for me and I wanted to find out what was going to happen next!
Bottom Line: If you like the Stephanie Plum series or cozy mysteries in general, then this book is for you.
Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of Curious Minds from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
I was a little worried, as Giffin’s last book was pretty terrible, I knew this would have to be better. The chapters rotate between Josie and Meredith’s POV and I liked that. The book takes place in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. I lived in that area for several years and I loved hearing all the places I recognize like the OK Cafe, Tin Lizzy’s, Five Paces etc. I recognize all the street names and can picture everything as it is being described.
I liked that the characters of this book were relatable. You have one sister who seems to have the perfect life with the husband, the kid, the fancy career, etc and then you have the sister that is a little bit of a mess who appears carefree and selfish. But things aren’t as they seem. I liked that the characters weren’t perfect and it was a real sibling relationship.
Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this book. It was a great read and I really felt like I got to know the characters.
Rating:4/5
I received a copy of First Comes Love from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
This is the second book in the Naked Men series. I reviewed the first book a few months ago. The Naked Men is actually a blog and podcast that a few best guy friends share where they are completely candid and uncensored about their real thoughts on topics. This book focuses on Knox, the incredibly successful and smart bachelor who typically goes through women like a buffet until he meets Madison. Madison is a strong and compassionate girl who has a one track mind to marriage. She is also in DC to find her long lost brother, none other than Knox’s best friend Logan. This was quite an interesting read watching Knox transform and see Madison adjust to big city living.
Bottom Line: If you are looking for a cute love story, this is it.
Rating:3/5
I received a copy of Wanting it All from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
