Dry Creek Sweethearts Book Review

I get some books from the local library that has a stack of things that don't sell at their book sale and they put them out for the public to take for free and I think that is where I got this paperback that was sitting on my shelf.  Dry Creek Sweethearts (Dry Creek Series #12) (Love Inspired #439) by Janet Tronstad was the next book that I picked up when I ran out of my library book pile so that I would have something light and quick to read.

She could scarcely believe her eyes. An enormous tour bus had arrived in Dry Creek, and from it stepped hometown hero Duane Enger, now a music celebrity. Linda Morgan, owner of the local café, had thought her ex-boyfriend had become too famous for the small-town life she loved. But something had pulled Duane back. Maybe he missed a slower, easier life. Maybe he sought to regain his faith. Or maybe it was the girl he'd left behind. Whatever it was, Duane was now finding life in Dry Creek-and Linda—just as intriguing as life in the fast lane. Linda was trying to get over the past and move on and decided that dealing with her past and ex-boyfriend would help her do that.  Find out if it works by checking out this book!

I thought the front looks fun with the milk shakes and the back had a quick review which I might have quickly scanned before picking it up.  I read it not knowing that it was a series of books with other books about the same town until I looked it up on Amazon.  I hope to pick up some of the other books about the Dry Creek town because there were a lot of interesting characters that I am sure are in the other books for me to get to know more!!  This book is a inspirational or Christian book that does talk about finding God but the main part of the story was the relationship between Duane and the town (including his ex, Linda).  The religious aspect was not in the way of the story but helped it to move forward.  It was a good book and I hope that you check it out at your local library or bookstore.

A Stitch in Crime Book Review

I signed up for another book to review through the publisher and Litfuse Publishing and I was excited to get another Quilts of Love book.  A Stitch in Crime: Quilts of Love Series by Cathy Elliott came in the mail and I was interested after seeing the cover to find out what it was about.  There was an interesting twist because this book tells us that there is going to be a crime which is different then the other Quilt books that I have read because they are usually just love stories.

Thea James has accepted an assignment as co-chairperson for Larkindale’s first quilt show extravaganza. Juggling the new assignment with running her antique business, she’s already feeling frayed when things start to unravel. Mary-Alice Wentworth, a much-loved town matriarch, respected quilt judge, and Thea’s dear friend, is knocked unconscious either by someone or falling during the kick-off Quilt Show party, throwing suspicion on her guests. It also appears that a valuable diamond brooch has been stolen during the attack. When a renowned textile expert goes MIA and the famous Wentworth heritage quilt disappears, Larkindale’s reputation as a tourist haven is at risk which is a horrible stress for Thea who runs a local antique store while trying to pull off the perfect quilt show. Thea attempts to piece the mystery together and save the town’s investment in the quilt show before something else terrible happens is a huge burden but you have to pick up the book to find out what happens next.

I really enjoyed the book and the writing.  At the beginning of the book, I was having trouble figuring out if the book was happening the current day or if it was happening with more of a historic twist (not that it is a bad thing).  It was well into the book before I figured out that it was a current book but the small town attitudes made it seem like it was happening years ago but I guess it could be happening at almost any time which is why it works so well.  Although I wouldn't put this book into the thriller section of mysteries, there was a little intrigue to find out what was going on while learning more about the characters along the way to uncover the truths.  I enjoy the type of mystery that has you wondering but not biting your nails so it was a perfect blend of characters with mystery for me.  I hope that you check this out at your local library or bookstore and see what you think.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!!

** I received this book from Litfuse Publishing for my honest opinion and review

Menu Plan Monday 1/26

Monday- Tacos and saffron rice
Tuesday- Chicken Wraps with homemade fries
Wednesday- Chicken Stir Fry with snow peas with white rice
Thursday- Salsa Sloppy Joes with mac and cheese
Friday- Breakfast for Dinner or Whole chicken with sides
Saturday- Birthday Party/Leftovers
Sunday- Leftovers/Buffalo Chicken Salad

I realized that I didn't have a plan and it was about time to have a plan or we would be eating out all week.  We are running low in just about everything in the house so I grabbed my menu planning calendar and made a list of all of the things that I needed to get at the store.  I took a trip on Monday to Target, Wegmans and Aldis in order to pick up everything that we needed/wanted before the bad weather hit.  I went a little overboard at Target but I am still spending some of the Christmas gift cards that we got so it is leaving a little extra wiggle room to get things that I normally wouldn't get and get a few deals at Target where I mostly don't shop any more.  I hope that you have a great week and enjoy your meals!!

Books to Read for 2015

I set my goal for 2015 to read 100 books.  Now I just need to figure out where to start and what I am going to fill my wonderful reading with.  I made a list of about 60 books to get me started and then I will have all the books that I sign up to review through Litfuse Publishing and Blogging for Books.  Here is hoping that I reach my goal for 2015.  What goals have you set for your new year??

There are a few books that are on my list to read for 2015:

Beverly Lewis

The Postcard
The  Crossroads
Sanctuary (with David Lewis)
The Sunroom

Home to Hickory Hallow
The Fiddler
The Bridesmaid
The Guardian
The Secret Keeper

The Rose Trilogy
The Thorn
The Judgment
The Mercy

Debbie Macomber

Rose Harbor
When First They Met
Lost and Found in Cedar Cove
The Inn at Rose Harbor
Rose Harbor in Bloom

Sheryl Woods

Amazing Gracie (own)
Flamingo Diner
Mending Fences

Chesapeake Shores
The Inn At Eagle Point
Flowers on Main
Harbor Lights
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas
Driftwood Cottage
Moonlight Cove
Beach Lane
An O’Brien Family Christmas
The Summer Garden
A Seaside Christmas

Library

Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Caf​e by Mary Simses
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon   Alexander McCall Smith


Owned

Bread Alone by Judi Hendricks
The Cukoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin
Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
In The Woods by Tina French
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger
The First Wives Club by Olivia Goldsmith
Pearl Jinx by Sandra Hill
Tender Triumph by Judith McNaught
Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux
Dry Creek Sweethearts by Janet Tronstad
Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum
The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans
Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Tara Road by Maeve Binchy
The Faraday Girls by Monica McInerney
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Kid Wednesday: 365 Fun-Filled Learning Activities you can do with your child Book Review

I found a bunch of books at the library that I wanted to read about teaching and one of the great ones was 365 Fun-Filled Learning Activities: You Can Do with Your Child by Mary S. Weaver, Weaver.  It included one activity a day to do with your kids.  The ideas are great and super simple to do mostly with things you already have around the house.  Those are the ideas that I love to hear because you can do it no matter how much money you have and your children are more prepared for kindergarten.  If you want to do your own preschool or if you want to supplement what they are already learning, this is the best idea book for you.

The description online is "This title provides learning activities for children to use in the home, including phonics, sets and groups, painting and drawing, and shopping for words."  The book is broken up into sections with language activities, math activities, science activities and physical development activities.  There are great and frugal ideas included in each section of the book to do with different ages and levels.  The page gives you the age and the skills you are using when you do the activity.  There are many great ideas when working with kids that you can incorporate into every day life without the kids even know that they are learning.  This is great for kids at home or preschool environments.

My son is a little old for a lot of the activities (he just turned 6) but we have done quiet a few of them in the previous years and we would have done more if I had read this book at a little earlier.  It is a great book to check out of the library or ask for Christmas because it has so many things in it that you will be able to keep the little ones entertained and learning at the same time.  There are ideas for homemade memory cards, secret messages made with white crayon and revealed with paint, and making letter and number books.  There are tons of ideas that don't take a lot of planning from the parents or special supplies.  If you want an inexpensive option to teach your young children, this book has the answers.  Some of the ages are a little off for my son but I guess it really depends on the level your children are starting from in the different areas.  Some kids pick up quickly on language arts and others on math so you can customize the learning games to the level your child(ren) are at in order.  The best idea is to introduce the idea and see how the kids take to it because you never know unless you try.  The older they get the more complicated that you can make each activity.  I hope that you enjoy all of the fun activities with your little ones!

Allegiant Book Review

The third book in the series was the also the last.  I had only gotten the first two from the library so I had to wait for Allegiant (Divergent Series) by Veronica Roth to come in at the library.  Luckily, it was pretty quickly.  It was a nice break to get in the middle of the series because if I had the book here, I would have picked it up after finishing the last one.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The book picked up where the last one let off with the same group of Allegiant forming to find out what is outside the walls of the city.  The factionless were trying to take over and make sure that there were no more factions.  On the other side, the Allegiant people picked a small group including many former Dauntless faction members because they have the ability to fight and defend the group on the way out of the city.   The group encountered some resistance but they made it out of the city to find out what was outside the gates.  What they found left them more confused then ever and wondering what the right path was for all of them!  I hope that you pick up the series and this book to find out what happened.

It was a great story and a good end to the drama that had me mesmerized from the beginning.  There are ups and downs in the story and you really feel what the characters are feeling because you have been invested since the beginning (with two very long books).  That being said, it was my least favorite book of the series.  It felt like it was trying to be ended instead of coming to a logical ending on its own.  The worst part is this book called into question everything from the first two books with little time to process the information, the characters jumped into action.  Although it is possible that this would happen, the history of the book shows that it takes a little more time for the people to make their decisions.  These rash decisions cause a lot of confusion and chaos but lead to a very different story then the first two books.  I hope that you pick up this series and check it out because it is well worth the read!!

Have you read it?  Did you enjoy the series or one book more then the other?

Menu Plan Monday 1/19

Monday- Breakfast for Dinner- Pancakes and hash browns and Leftover Fried Rice
Tuesday- Olive Oil Pasta or Cheese Ravioli with garlic bread
Wednesday- Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes
Thursday- Chicken Nugget Wraps and homemade fries
Friday- Grilled Cheese and Soup
Saturday- Leftovers/???
Sunday- Leftovers/???

My son started off the week sick.  He woke up in the middle of the night sick to his stomach and woke up every few hours to be sick.  It was a rough night and therefore, I don't really know what we are going to have for the week.  We still have two bags of chicken tenders and two whole chickens in the freezer.  If things start to get better then I will try to cook another whole chicken but if this sickness lasts for a longer time then I know that I won't get the chicken done.  If my husband catches it, then I will be making turkey and rice soup cause he likes soup when he is sick.  Here is hoping that you don't have any winter sicknesses that are putting a wrench in your plans.  I hope that you have a great week and enjoy your meals!!

Zero Waste Home Book Review

I reserved this book at the library for a long time and I don't even know how it came to my attention but with the end of the year fast approaching, it was one of the many things that I did to clean up my library account by getting all of my books off reserve and start reading them all.  This was one of the books that I picked up at the library.  The cover looked familiar but I looked on the blog and didn't see a review of the book.  I read the beginning and it seemed familiar but I thought maybe the author wrote another book and I reserved this one because I liked the first one.  Who knows but long story short, I am almost positive that I read this book before but it must have been before I started blogging and keeping a log of all the books that I have read.  I still read through the whole book because I figured that it would be a good refresher and I couldn't stop once I started.  Now I know and I have it on my blog so I won't go and read it for a third time but I hope that you enjoy it whether reading it for the first or the second time with me.

In Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson shares the story of how she simplified her life by reducing her waste. Today, Bea, her husband, Scott, and their two young sons produce just one quart of garbage a year, and their overall quality of life has changed for the better: they now have more time together, they’ve cut their annual spending by a remarkable 40 percent, and they are healthier than they’ve ever been.

This book shares essential how-to advice, secrets, and insights based on Bea’s experience. She demystifies the process of going Zero Waste with hundreds of easy tips for sustainable living that even the busiest people can integrate: from making your own mustard, to packing kids’ lunches without plastic, to canceling your junk mail, to enjoying the holidays without the guilt associated with overconsumption. Zero Waste Home is a stylish and relatable step-by-step guide that will give you the practical tools to help you improve your health, save money and time, and achieve a brighter future for your family—and the planet.

If you are interested in ways to save money and ways to be more ecologically friendly, this is an interesting read.  She shares ideas about renting out your house to pay for vacations for your family as well as composting, recycling and how to shop without waste.  There are a lot of ideas that seem that they are a far reach.  I do understand that planning ahead almost always saves money and the environment.  We use plastic containers to pack our lunches instead of plastic bags and when they get to the end of their lives, they are all recyclable.  I feel like that is a step in the right direction but she takes most of the ideas to another level like taking lunch in a glass jar because the plastic can't be recycled forever and eventually turns into waste.  I know that everyone has a limit on how far they will take their ecological ideals to make it into something realistic for their family life.  Most of the ideas she shares are past where my family will go but it is great to read about it and learn if there are any other ideas that you can use with your family.  I hope that you check it out and see if there are any other ways your family can save money and the planet.  I enjoyed the book (both times) and hope that you enjoy it too.

Menu Plan Monday 1/12

Monday- Breakfast for Dinner
Tuesday- Olive Oil Pasta with garlic bread
Wednesday- Lasagna
Thursday- Chicken nuggets and homemade French fries
Friday- Whole Roasted Chicken with stuffing and corn or Enchilada Smash Casserole
Saturday- Cheese Ravioli with peasant bread/Chinese Food
Sunday- Turkey and Rice Soup and leftovers/??

Everything is up in the air with crazy construction starting on the house and family in town for my son's birthday party.  My son's birthday is Thursday so I am planning his favorite meal which is most anything with homemade fries plus I am going to spend most of the day at the other house with the electrician so I know that I won't have a ton of time to make things (beyond the cupcakes he has requested to take to school).  On Saturday, I am planning on feeding all of my family members before my son's birthday party and then getting take out after because I know that we will be wiped out and already cleaning up a mess from the kids.

I have planned a meal plan for the week but I am not sure if I am going to see it happen or how many people I am going to be feeding.  This is giving me a little stress but I am hoping to just add more side dishes and other items to the meal if more people show up.  I have found that I am way more stressed with no meal plan and end up giving in to eating out or getting take out.  My body is done with all this eating out and I want to have some healthy home cooked food even if I am cooking for 11 which might be the number if everyone is here at the same time.  I hope that you have a great week and enjoy your meals!!

Books I Read In 2014

I can't believe that we are already at the end of the year and I went back to look at the books that I read for the year that were originally on my list.  I was amazed on how many books that I thought that I would get to and didn't.  I certainly did add a bunch of new ones to the list that were unexpected.

I didn't read the series by James Patterson which was one of my goals at the beginning of the year to expand my reading but I have erased those off my goals.  I also haven't read any of the Anita Shreve books so I erased them too.  I certainly did expand the type of reading by doing some of the review books which was my other goal.  I read a bunch of books for review this year through both of my publishing sites including Blogging for Books and Litfuse Publishing.

I got a lot of use out of the library but still didn't get to lots of the series that I was looking to read.  I know that I read more last year then this year but I set high goals.  I also read none of the books that I had on the shelf at home.  I opted for picking up new ones at the library every time.  I know that it is crazy but it seems to work for me because there is a deadline of when the book needs to be read and returned so it keeps me on track.  What works for you??

Any books left on the list are going to be at the beginning of the books for next year.  I have slowed down the number of books that I have signed up for in the new year because I know that I am going to be busy doing the construction on the new house.  I am looking forward to getting the work done but I am sure that I am going to have plenty of time to read while I am sitting down waiting for different things to happen.  When do you get your reading done??

Beverly Lewis

The Redemption of Sarah Cain- February

Seasons of Grace
The Secret- October
The Missing- October
The Telling- October

Abram's Daughters Series

The Covenant- July

The Betrayal- July

The Sacrifice- July

The Prodigal- July

The Revelation- July

Cindy Woodsmall

Seasons of Tomorrow  May

When the Heart Cries-August
When the Morning Comes- August
When the Soul Mends- August

Janet Evanovich

One for the Money- January

Two For the Dough- January

Three to Get Deadly- January

Four to Score- February

High Five- February

Hot Six- February

Seven Up- February

Hard Eight- February

To the Nines- March

Ten Big Ones- March

Eleven on Top- April

Twelve Sharp- April

Lean Mean Thirteen- April

Fearless Fourteen- May

Finger Lickin' Fifteen- May

Sizzling Sixteen- May
Smokin' Seventeen- May
Explosive Eighteen- June
Notorious Nineteen- June
Take Down Twenty- June
Top Secret Twenty One- June

Plum Lucky (own)- June
Plum Lovin'- June
Plum Spooky- June
Visions of Sugar Plums- June

Wicked Appetite- June
Wicked Business- August

James Patterson

Standalone Books
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas- January
Sunday at Tiffany's (own)- January

Robyn Carr

The Wedding Party- June
Blue Skies- January
Never Too Late- January
A Summer in Sonoma- January
The Chance- July
Four Friends- July
The Promise- October

Other Books from the Library
The Mystery of Meerkat Hill by Alexander McCall Smith- February
The Giver by Lois Lowry- February
Wild by Cheryl Strayed- February

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby- March

Balanced by Tricia Goyer- March

Child's Play by Leslie Hamilton- March

A Stillness of Chimes by Meg Moseley- March

The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler- April

Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson- April

Critical Condition by Richard L. Mabry M.D.- April

Modern Pioneering by Georgia Pelligrini- May

A Season of Change by Lynette Sowell- May

A Mother's Secret by Amy Clipston- May

Gifted Kids Survival Guide by Judy Galbraith- June

The Revealing by Suzanne Woods Fisher- June

Parenting and Teaching the Gifted by Rosemary Callard-Szulgit- June

Still Life with Chickens: Starting Over in a House by the Sea by Catherine Goldhammer- July

When I Fall In Love by Susan May Warren- July
An Amish Kitchen by Beth Wiseman, Kelly Long, and Amy Clipston- July

Storm Front by Richard Castle- August
Treat Yourself by Jennifer Steinhauer- August

A Grand Design by Amber Stockton- August
Kindergarten: It Isn't What It Used to Be by Susan Golant and Mitch Golant- August
Take A Chance On Me by Susan May Warren- August

It Had to Be You by Susan May Warren- September

Sweet: Our Best Cupcakes, Cookies, Candy and More by Editors of Food Network Magazine- September
The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom- September

All's Fair In Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant- September

Blue Ribbon Baking from a Redneck Kitchen by Francine Bryson- September

Joyful by Shelley Shepard Gray- September

Hidden in the Stars by Robin Caroll- September

Deadly Heat by Richard Castle- September

Wild Storm by Richard Castle- September

Becoming Bea by Leslie Gould- October

When the Treetops Glisten by Tricia Goyer, Cara Putman and Sarah Sundin- October

Raging Heat by Richard Castle- November

Quilted by Christmas by Jodie Bailey- November

Pound Foolish by Neta and Dave Jackson- November

The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane by Alex Irvine- November

Furry Logic by Jane Seabrook- November

The Brothers Keepers by NLB Horton- November

Swept Away by Laura V. Hilton and Cindy Loven- December
Love Without End by Robin Lee Hatcher- December
The Homecoming by Robyn Carr- December

Killing the Blues by Michael Brandman- December

Fool Me Twice by Michael Brandman- December

Damned If You Do by Michael Brandman- December

The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café by Alexander McCall Smith- December

Divergent by Veronica Roth- December

Insurgent by Veronica Roth- December

Total Books Read in 2014 (and 2013 and 2012)

I know that most people don't keep track of the number of books that they read but it is pretty interesting because you can see which months are super busy and you don't get a lot of reading in and which are spent reading a lot.  I have been tracking my reading for three years now because I have been blogging about it.  It is pretty helpful to be able to know all the books that you read and which ones you still have to read in the series or with the author.  I have used my list on more then one occasion to figure out what new books I need to read by the authors that I love. 


This year was down with the amount of reading that I did from last year but I still feel like I did pretty well.  I set my goal in 2012 for 50 books and I well exceeded it.  The next year made me set the goal higher which I still greatly exceeded.  This year, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I think that I did read less than I had in the past but I got to read so many fun books and did so many other things that I my future goal is to try to 100 books every year.  It helps to keep my mind active and gives me some escape to get to read about other peoples lives. 

Total Books Read
for 2014

January     8

February    9
March       6
April          6
May          8
June          13
July          10
August       9
September  9
October     6
November   6
December    9
 

Total Books Read in 2014      99

Total Books Read

for 2013

January       12

February     11

March         19

April            18

May             11

June             13

July               6

August         12

September     15 

October         9 

November      7 

December      6

Total Books Read in 2013    139

Total Books Read

for 2012

January      5

February    6

March        9

April           8

May           4

June          10

July           10

August        8

September  3

October      5

November  4

December  6

Total Books Read in 2012       78




Are you going to set a goal for the new year to read more books or a set number of books??  I think that I have set my goal for the coming year to read 100 books.  Here is hoping that I stay on track to get it done!!  I would love to hear your goals too so that I can work on mine!!  Do you set it on a certain number of quality books a month or instructive books a month or just read to enjoy??

December Reading Review

I started the month still trying to figure out how to finish the book that I was reading that I wasn't interested in but I had trouble just letting it go without completing it.  I know that it is a problem that I have because I just feel like it has to get better.  I finally did finish it and it didn't get better.  I did get resolution but it was the worst ending of any book that I had read in ages.  I guess it was the worst end to the worst book so I was excited to read myself to the good end of the year.  There are tons of books still on my list and I got all of the books from my hold list at the library to try to finish strong.

If you want to see what I read this month, feel free to click on the title below and it will take you to the original summary and review.  I hope that you enjoy some of these and add them to your list to read.  It is time to get together the list of all of the books you want to read in the new year to start your new year off right.

Swept Away

by Laura V. Hilton and Cindy Loven

 

Love Without End

by Robin Lee Hatcher

The Homecoming

by Robyn Carr

Killing the Blues

by Michael Brandman

Fool Me Twice

by Michael Brandman

Damned If You Do

by Michael Brandman

The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe
by Alexander McCall Smith

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

Insurgent

by Veronica Roth

Books Read for 2014

January     8

February    9
March       6
April          6
May          8
June          13
July          10
August       9
September  9
October     6
November   6
December   9

Total Books  99

Insurgent Book Review and Divergent Movie Review

Insurgent (Divergent) by Veronica Roth was the next book in the series which I picked up right after the first.  I was very excited to get the second book and a little sad that I didn't have the third one already from the library as soon as I was done.  It is a great series (even if it was with young adult books) because it is great for young and old alike.

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.  Make sure you check out this book to find out what happens!!

I started this after finishing the first and still couldn't put it down.  This was as fast a read as Hunger Games or Harry Potter where everything else including sleeping takes a back seat.  I was super sad when I got to the end and didn't have the third book already.  I reserved it at the library shortly after finishing and I was 7th on the list so it just came into the library a few weeks later.  That is the benefit of having a huge county library system because there are so many copies of the book.  Sad thing is that they were all checked out but luckily it didn't take long to get the next one.

In order to hold me over, I watched the movie of the first book that just came to DVD.  I enjoyed the movie but I was hoping for some more.  I often have that problem when I read the book first because the book gives you the opportunity to have more information about all of the characters.  I loved the casting and once I settled into the idea that I just had to imply things in that were in the book that didn't make it into the movie, I was pretty okay with the movie.  At least it helped me while I was waiting for the third book to come in!!

What did you think of the movie?  How about the book?  Did you read the book first or the watch the movie?  Do you think that matters because it always seems to make me question the movie if I read the book first!!!

Menu Plan Monday (or Wednesday) 1/5

Monday- Chicken Nugget Wraps and homemade fries
Tuesday- Cinnamon Sugar Waffles
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday- Bisquick Chicken with chicken rice
Friday- Salsa Sloppy Joes on homemade rolls with mac and cheese
Saturday- Leftovers/???
Sunday- Leftovers/???

Well, this week came up on my fast.  I was super busy last week and I didn't realize that I didn't post the menu plan for the week but don't worry, I did have one.  We had a busy week last week with working on the new house.  This week was a fast start because my son went back to school and there was more contractors to meet with to try to hire someone to do the work at the house.  Then, we got snow and school was delayed.  Everything was up in the air and crazy!  So this is partly what we had at the beginning of the week and what is planned for the rest of the week.

I am working through everything in the freezer and doing a good job of it.  I have done a great job at it but now we have company coming for the next few weeks again and that always throws things up in the air so I am trying to nail down what we are doing so that I can finish up the meal plan for the week.  We will know when we know how many people we are feeding :)  Hope you are having a good week!!!

Divergent Book Review

I had a list of books that I was reserving forever at the library but put on hold.  I was still getting new books and not reading the ones on the list so I let them all come off the reserve list so that I could finish them in the current year and start the new year off clean.  I let all the books come in and I started reading.  This was really far into the pile because it is almost 500 pages!!  Divergent (Divergent Series) by Veronica Roth was the huge book that I picked up after finishing some other shorter books.

One choice can transform you. Life in this book is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice Prior must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions to be more true to herself. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she's determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous. Through Beatrice's growing up as a 16 year old girl in this world with different factions, you learn a lot about her character and the values of others around you.


I really enjoyed the book and it was a fast read especially given the length.  I couldn't believe how much this was like the Giver and Hunger Games.  It talks about the people changing their behavior because the government is set up to make a "better" life.  They are looking to control the behavior of the people in order to make sure that they don't have war.  With all of the attempt to change the people and make them fit into the set factions, they discover that there are other people who are divergent and don't fit the molds for the factions.  It was really interesting and quick to get into all of the characters and the story.  I can't believe how hard it was too put down once I started!!  I hope that that you check out this book at your local library or bookstore.  It is a great book which I know you will enjoy.  Make sure you get the next book in the series before you start the first one because you will want to pick it up as soon as you are done with the first book.