Tag Archives: book review

Fix-It and Forget-It Slow Cooker Magic Book Review

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge courtesy of GoodBooks/Skyhorse Publishing. This post may have affiliate links but this in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own.

Fix-It and Forget-It Slow Cooker Magic: 550 Amazing Everyday Recipes Review and Giveaway

Back many moons ago, during my bridal shower to my first husband I received 3 identical crock pots. We had registered for one, ended up with three. Flash forward one divorce and one marriage later I again have 3 crock pots, but this time they are not all the same make and model. Through the merging of items and a wedding, Jason and I have been able to collect three different size crock pots.

The three crock pots we have vary in size, which makes this a versatile house. The three we own are a Crock Pot 6 Quart slow cooker, a Procter Silex 3 quart and Procter Silex 1.5 quart slow cookers. Having these three crock pots/slow cookers gives us the ability to make just about anything. which lead me to discovering The Fix-It and Forget Slow Cooker Magic: 550 Amazing Everyday Recipes by Phyllis Good and published by GoodBooks and Skyhorse Publishing.

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Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography Review

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge courtesy of BloggingforBooks. This in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own.

Neil Patrick Harris:

Choose Your Own Autobiography

Review and Giveaway

My first introduction to Neil Patrick Harris was like many girls my age, as the teen doctor Doogie Howser M.D. When Doogie Howser ended as did NPH in the spotlight – it was before the internet and before the constant paparazzi presence. Flash forward about 4 years and my father took me to see Rent at the The La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla California and to my utter surprise, Neil Patrick Harris was the lead. Our tickets were front row center and I was convinced he was performing for only me – delusional for sure.

Flash forward another set of years and lo and behold NPH starts showing up, satirizing himself and then starring in the show – How I Met Your Mother. NPH has been on Broadway, hosted the Oscars, hosted the Tony’s and he just entered his 40’s.

I had been eagerly anticipating reading Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Biography since I heard about its release. When it came up as an option to review I said yes and I can say I was not disappointed.

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Skyhorse Publishing – Adult Coloring Books Review

Skyhorse Publishing – Adult Coloring Books Review and Giveaway

Being a child of the 1970’s it was before the age of computers and before the use of technology overtook time outside. When it rained outside and bikes could not be ridden and trees were unable to be climbed our choices took on a more creative tone. Many of my friends liked to draw or paint, but I was always a fan of coloring. My absolute favorite thing was when I not only had a new coloring book but a new set of crayons or colored pencils.

Flash ahead about 30 years, give or take a couple of years, and I still love to color. When I was young it was Rainbow Brite, Smurfs and Cabbage Patch Kids. Today the leaning is a little more towards shapes, Paisley and mandalas so I accepted when I received an opportunity to review Skyhorse Publishing’s range of coloring books.

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Straight Up Tasty by Adam Richman Review

Straight Up Tasty:

Meals, Memories, and Mouthfuls from My Travels

Review and Giveaway

A shift has occurred in the past couple years that is directly related to when we purchased out home. Shortly after we bought this house I began to cook, and each day that passed found myself getting more and more interested in the concept of food. In this transitional time we watched a lot more food related television. We discovered that by watching these shows it helped us learn and expand out pallets.

One day we came across a show which featured a restaurant and a challenge. This show was “Man Vs.Food” and it slowly moved its way into our line up (by now in reruns being replayed) and we enjoyed it. When I heard that the Adam Richman, the host of the show, released a cookbook sharing recipes and stories from the show I knew that i had to get it.

Straight Up Tasty: Meals, Memories, and Mouthfuls from My Travels by Adam Richman is a fun culinary journey that brings the best recipes from across the country. The book covers breakfast items, lunch items, dinners, desserts, sides, condiments and everything in between that he has collected through Adam’s travels for the show.

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Cookie Love Review

Cookie Love: More Than 60 Recipes and Techniques for Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary Review and Giveaway

I have been a cookie fan since I was a child, in fact I recently admitted to being a cookie monster since I was young. My favorite cookie memory involves my best friends from youth. Each weekend I would play host to slumber parties and 2:00am cookie making messes. Generally speaking we made chocolate chip, oatmeal or peanut butter but sometimes we would venture into the fancier cookie books and attempt a recipe.

Flash forward 25 years later and I still love baking cookies, as well as convincing my friends to come and help me bake them. The major difference is that my cookie making confidence is much higher than at 15 years old. I love cookbooks and recently was given the chance to review Cookie Love: More Than 60 Recipes and Techniques for Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary by Mindy Segal.

This collection is over 280 pages of recipes, cookie making basics that cover tools used and common tricks, as well as measurement conversion charts. This book includes some of the best cookie recipes I have ever heard of including snickerdoodles, smoked almond shortbread with orange blossom and raspberry framboise, cheese board biscotti and many others.

If you are a fan of quality cookie themed cookbooks and unique recipes I highly recommend this book full of “Cookie Love”.

To learn more about Cookie Love: More Than 60 Recipes and Techniques for Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary, click here,

To purchase, click to own your own copy you can find it here on Amazon

GIVEAWAY: DealsAmongUs will be awarding one person one copy of Cookie Love: More Than 60 Recipes and Techniques for Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary by Mindy Segal either on Kindle or Hard Copy (winners choice). US and Canada entrants only. I will be randomly choosing 1 person on August 19 (8/19/2015) to receive this awesome cookie book! To enter complete the entries below! Winner will be notified by me by email and prize will be fulfilled by DealsAmongUs via Amazon! Remember you have 48 hours to claim prize, or I will choose another winner. GOOD LUCK!!!

Cookie Love Book Giveaway

Soul Reader Book Review and Giveaway

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge courtesy of Dianne Bright/Tate Publishing. This post may have affiliate links but this in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own.

Soul Reader Book Review and Giveaway!

As always I like to be honest with you, my readers, so it is full disclosure time: I met the author in elementary school and we were classmates until we graduated high school, at that time I lost touch with her until the magic of Facebook. This in no way will affect the review to follow, but I wanted to be honest with you right off.

I know some people have a process in which they use in the selection of books, I am not one of these people. I use a method that is sometimes deceiving, sometimes misleading and sometimes a pleasant surprise – I choose by the title only. The reason for this overly simplistic method of choice roots back to my childhood when I would use the title to make book choices, a creature of habit I am.

Let me start by saying that while the title may not have gotten my attention and made me want to read the book, the beautiful cover image and imagery that it projects would have gotten my attention.

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The World Needs More Love Letters Book Review

The World Needs More Love Letters Review

The title of this book can not be more accurate to the world in which I believe we should live in. The applicable title being “The World Needs More Love Letters“. I believe in the art of stamps, the art of writing and sending snail mail notes to those we care about. When I was a young child I got many, many awards for penmanship (the art of writing). I am often told, even now, that I have beautiful handwriting, which works well for my traditional thoughts.

We live in a technological world, there is nothing we can do to change that fact. The thing that we can change is how we communicate with those we love. Text messages, email and Snapchat have replaced the art of sending a card with a note included. I believe when there is a death in a family, text is not ok, it is proper to send a card to be bereaved. When there is a birthday, it is proper to send a card – it is tangible and a great memory to keep. I keep all cards we are sent, no matter what the reason as we have found they are a nice keepsake as well as decoration for celebrations that they were sent for.

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A Nice Little Place on the North Side Review

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge courtesy of BloggingForBooks. This post may have affiliate links but this in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own.

A Nice Little Place on the North Side Review

I have never been a beer drinker, I have never been fond of the taste or after taste. When I was 20 years old my brother took me into Chicago, I was unaware at the time why we made this trip from his home in Naperville. We parked, walked a couple blocks and I patiently waited as he spoke to a gentleman at the gates and got us two tickets – I was about to enter the famous Wrigley Field. My brother bought me a beer, and although it was still 30 days until my 21st birthday I accepted it. I was never a fan of beer but this beer was special – maybe because I was sharing a moment and beer with my older brother, or because I knew I was standing amongst history.

When I had the chance almost 19 years later to read George F. Wills new book A Nice Little Place on the North Side, I wanted to learn more about this institution in Chicago. According to the subtitle, this book is “a history of triumph, mostly defeat, and incurable hope at Wrigley Field” and this is an accurate description of the books contents. This New York Times Bestseller covers the 100 plus year history of Wrigley Field and of the Cubs in Chicago. This book has many stories about the Cubs and the many possible reasons for the lack of wins. The Cubs have not had the most winningest record in history, rather the opposite spanning a 105 year streak with no World Series wins and despite this they have sold out games more often than not.

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Modern Manners: Tools to Take You to the Top Review

Modern Manners: Tools to Take You to the Top Review

I am a traditional girl in the modern world: I believe in men opening car doors for women, I believe in proper firm handshakes and proper table manners and I believe in the simplicity and beauty of a handwritten thank you card. I think that as we progress into a more modern digital age, these simple simplicities of life will disappear and we will have forgotten the etiquette of days gone by.

This new book by the founder of ‘The Protocol School of Washington’s’ Dorothea Johnson and actress Liv Tyler give you the simple etiquette tips that are missing in society today. This book covers everything from how to host dinner parties, to having a professional and personal online presence and how to handle when the personal and professional intersect in life.

Some of the other topics covered are:

The importance of standing up when meeting somebody and presenting a firm handshake
Tipping in every situation including your Wine Steward and food deliveries vs pizza deliveries.
How to eat various foods including artichokes to sushi and sashimi.
Place settings for 3 course and 5 course meals
The proper etiquette on a elevator
Information sharing on social media
and much much more!!

Throughout the book Dorothea Johnson gives you practical advice, do’s and do not’s, and includes insightful commentary from her Granddaughter Liv Tyler. The book is slim enough, at a mere 170 pages, to carry with you as a quick reference.

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