Book Review: Artistic License

While perusing my local library last week I picked up a copy of Artistic License by Katie Fforde.  This is the first book that I have ever read by this author and I really enjoyed it.

It did start out slowly but by the middle I really wanted to know what was going to happen so I pressed on and really loved it.

Thea is 35 years old and really just going through the motions of life.  She runs student housing out of her home and though she doesn't mind it, she really wants something more.

Things change quickly when her friend Molly invites her on an artists tour in France.  Thea meets Rory, an aspiring painter, and runs off to Ireland with him.  She sees his painting and decides that she will open an art gallery to show the world Rory's work.
Of course, not everything is as it seems and is not a simple as you make think it should be.  There is confusion and misunderstandings and falling in love.

This novel was more than I expected.  I was fast and fun and I'm glad I got a hold of it.

Book Review: The One and Only

I don't even know where to start with this book.  What happened to Emily Giffin? What happened to the wonderful storyteller that wrote Something Borrowed and The Heart of the Matter?

The last two books I have forced myself to continue reading in hopes that the story would just get better.  And it just didn't.

In The One and Only we meet Shea.  Shea loves all things football, but particularly Walker University football.   Her life revolves around it since she was a young girl.

The head coach, Coach Carr, wife has recently passed away and Shea has always maintained a crush on him since she was small.  But now her feelings are deepening and she wants more.

There are many things that stand in the way of them being together, including Coach Carr's daughter Lucy who is also Shea's life long best friend.

I was so disappointed in this book.  The story was boring and there was no character development.  Shea did not change or grow from the beginning of the book to the end.  Even with the many times that she told herself that she changed.  Maybe it was an effort to convince the reader that there was something different about her after 400 pages.

If you're looking for something to read, I'd say pass on this one.

Book Review: Promises to Keep

I had no idea what I was getting in to when I picked up Promises to Keep by Jane Green.

I was walking around the library and grabbed this book off the shelf.  It was on a complete whim.  I've enjoyed novels by Jane Green in the past that I figured I would give it a go.

I opened this book about a week ago.  I love how Green wrote her characters in this story.  They were simple yet complicated.  Their feeling were raw and emotions were real.

In this novel we meet a large cast of characters but the main ones are Callie, Steffi and Lila.

Callie and Steffi are sisters born about a decade apart and Lila is a lifetime friend.  Each one has a big change coming on in her life.  Steffi, a vegan chef, is tired of life in New York City and jumps at the opportunity to live in the small village of Sleepy Hollow and be closer to her sister.

Lila has finally met the man of her dreams and he is everything she ever wanted.

Callie has the perfect life.  A husband that was perfect for her, two children's that she absolutely adores.  But something is not quite right anymore.  She isn't feeling as she normally does.  Something is just off.

Here is a SPOILER ALERT....

Callie is sick.  And it has rocked the world of all the people around her.  She fought and won the battle against breast cancer five years ago and it is back a vengeance.

Callie is getting weaker by the day and each of her friends and family are doing their best to take care of her and each other.

As I read through this I would feel the tears just pour down my face.  I had no idea what this book was about but it really hit home as we said good-bye to grandpa two weeks ago.  It may have been too much too soon.  But it was still beautifully written.

What's for Dinner?- Salmon, Garlic Pasta and Green Beans

 In an attempt to try new things WE ATE SALMON!  Woot!

We don't really consume a lot of fish around here.  I've only had salmon once or twice in my entire life.  So we gave it a shot.

I found a recipe through Pinterest at Running a Ragnar.

I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great!  It was flaky and delicious.  Even Sidda liked it; she is my picky eater.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place salmon skin side down.

Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

Place in a cold oven set at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

MJ is checking it out. 

The results were great!  The fish flaked easily and tasted great along with the garlic pasta.

Anya will eat just about anything.

Sidda loved it!

We finished dinner off with Popsicles.  Anya stole mine.

Book Review: Rock Chick

I have no idea what made me want to read Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley.  I think it came up on a book recommendation on goodreads.com and I decided that I wanted to read it.  I had no idea what it was about when I picked it up.

Indy is apparently a rock chick because she likes rock n' roll and dresses somewhat trashy.  I guess to each there own.  But ignoring the constant references to bands and her clothing choices the story wasn't bad.  It starts off pretty quickly with Indy is in hiding after just been shot at.  Along with her friend Rosie.  Indy doesn't want to return home just in case those who shot at her know where she lives.

She doesn't even know why she is being shot at.  It's really all Rosie's fault.  He had something that belongs to someone else and he's not giving it back.  This is why she ends up at Lee's house.  She has known Lee her entire life, and she has always been in love with him.  Lee never seemed to feel the same but there is something different now.

Now Lee wants Indy too and he will do whatever it takes to have her to himself.  Including getting in the middle of this shooting situation.  But it's ok because it's what Lee does for a living anyway.

There are plenty of moments of page turning action and enough comic relief to enjoy this story as an easy read.  There were some moments when I found myself chuckling and smiling as I read Indy's antics.  The last half of the book really catches it's stride as the beginning at times felt winded.

If you like easy reads that are assuming, I recommend it.  I don't think I'll be venturing anymore into next 8 installments of the Rock Chick series (yes there are 8 more books).  But this one was fun as a stand alone novel.

What's for Dinner?- Taco Fajita Crockpot

Yesterday was a busy day.  There was school to teach, a house to clean, meals to make and company coming over.  That was all piled up on top of very little sleep because a certain little baby decided she didn't want to sleep, nor did she want to be awake.

I wanted something easy to throw into the crock pot that would make dinner super easy.  I looked around to see what I had on hand and just dumped it all in.

Taco Fajita Crock Pot Recipe

3 Chicken Breasts
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bag frozen corn
1 bag diced onions and 3 peppers (frozen)
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup of water.

Just dump everything in and cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Shred chicken and service over rice with shredded cheese.  You can add sour cream if you like as well.

It was delicious and baby approved!

Book Review: Wither

What would you do in a world where everyone only lived until they were 20 years old?

Seems like such a short life.  A life that can't be lived fully right?

This is how the world is in Lauren DeStefano's novel Wither.  Girls live until 20 and boys 25.  There are one set of people that were lucku enough to live past this age.  They are known as the first generation and they are well into their 70's now.  But every generation sense has died by 20 or 25.

But this story is about Rhine and what happens to her as she waits for certain death.  She is sixteen years old and kidnapped away from her twin brother and forced to marry a man she has never met and far away from home.  He also marries two others when he weds Rhine.

All Rhine wants is to run away.  She wants to find away to escape this life that she has been forced into.  But there were many things that she did not plan on, becoming friends with her sister wives or falling for one of the household servants.

Wither is part of a trilogy and I honestly don't thing I will venture beyond this first book.  There were times that the story was beautifully written and kept my interest.  It started off so well. It caught attention and made me want to keep reading, but then suddenly it slowed down.  It was like reading the same thing over and over page after page with no change or progression in the story.  And then it abruptly ends.  I know this is to make you want to move on to the next book but for me, I have no desire to see how the story ends.  It will be forever left as a simple cliffhanger.

I do recommend this book for teenagers.  It is a perfect young adult novel.  I think I may just be too old for this trilogy.  Oh the joys of 31.