Tuesday, January 20, 2015

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?

Monday, January 19, 2015

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!!

Friday, January 16, 2015

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.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

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


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

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

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??

Saturday, January 10, 2015

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.


 


by Robin Lee Hatcher



by Robyn Carr





by Michael Brandman







by Michael Brandman


by Michael Brandman


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


by Veronica Roth

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