~Redlady's Reading Room~

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-02T19:58:00.001-05:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by At Home With Books

during the month of September.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

As I am focusing on reading books of my own choosing this year,
this is what I received in my mailbox:

The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan (Bought for Kindle for .99 after reading this fascinating story about the author "How I Became a Best-Selling Author")

Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam (Bought for Kindle as a Kindle Special offer for $1)

Happy New Year 2012!!

2012-01-01T14:52:00.000-05:00

A friend posted this on their Facebook wall today and it spoke to me. I love what it says about the need to enjoy life, read good books, make art and surprise ourselves. I am still searching for an answer on how my blog will flow this year. I decided that some things had to change for me to continue blogging when I found that I wasn't enjoying reading as much due to the pressure I was feeling to write reviews. I actually stopped reading for awhile and knew that things had to change. I love reading and it has been a constant in my life since the first grade. My plans for certain in 2012 are to read whatever I choose and from my shelves as well as the library. I plan to make art in some way as well. I pulled out my book of Mandala art:

I find it relaxing and calming to color the drawings. A few other ideas are to expand my basic knitting skills and explore scrapbooking. It's about balance for me, finding a way to have fun but not feel stressed about what I am involved in.

Thanks to everyone for sticking with my blog in its ups and downs. I appreciate your friendship and wish you all peace, love, happiness, and the joy of wonderful books in the New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T14:04:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you choose to celebrate! This is the time of year to come together to celebrate peace, joy and goodness in all. Treasure the blessings that you have and the moments together. I am taking a break from blogging and reassess my plans for the future of my blog as I want to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading a book and not the pressure of deadlines to review books. I am reading books of my own choosing and off my shelves for now. I hope to be back to blogging and I want everyone to know that I appreciate your support and comments and visiting my blog.

Review: The Pub Across The Pond by Mary Carter

2011-11-11T11:55:00.000-05:00

About the book:

“Sometimes leaving home is the only way to find where you belong….”

Carlene Rivers is many things. Dutiful, reliable, kind. Lucky? Not so much. At thirty, she’s living a stifling existence in Cleveland, Ohio. Then one day, Carlene buys a raffle ticket. The prize: a pub on the west coast of Ireland. Carlene is stunned when she wins. Everyone else is stunned when she actually goes.

My Thoughts:

When I read the synopsis of The Pub Across The Pond I knew that I had to read it....a young woman, living in Cleveland, Ohio wins a pub in Ireland. I live outside the Cleveland area and am not Irish but I enjoy reading about Ireland and Irish fiction. The Pub Across The Pond is a delightful, fun read that will take you from the states to the coast of Ireland to experience the beauty and culture of the Irish. Carlene is trying to find her way in life, her purpose so to speak after losing her mother at a young age and helping her father who has secrets untold about her mother. I enjoyed this story full of wonderful, quirky characters as well as romance and the backdrop of the beauty of Ireland.

Check out this wonderful Book Trailer about The Pub Across The Pond:

MARY CARTER is a freelance writer and novelist. The Pub Across the Pond is her fifth novel with Kensington. Her other works include: My Sister’s Voice, Sunnyside Blues, She’ll Take It, andAccidentally Engaged. In addition to her novels she has written two novellas: A Very Maui Christmas in the best selling anthology Holiday Magic, and The Honeymoon House in the best selling anthology Almost Home. She is currently working on a new novel for Kensington.

Readers are welcome to visit her at www.marycarterbooks.com.

Visit her at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-Carter-Books/248226365259.

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book! for providing a copy of the book for review.

Winner of Super Immunity by Joel Fuhrman.....

2011-11-11T08:40:00.000-05:00

~Beth Hoffman~

Thanks to Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours for sponsoring this giveaway. Thanks to all who entered.

Review & Giveaway: Don't Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani

2011-10-31T07:00:00.025-04:00

About the book:

New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani’s gift for illuminating the profound challenges and issues defining women’s lives has propelled her novels to the top of bestseller lists and earned her a wide, devoted readership. Now, she shares the roots of those insights—the wisdom handed down to her from her unforgettable grandmothers, Lucia and Viola, which she began collecting for her own daughter—with readers everywhere.

Filled with practical, sage advice, and infused with Trigiani’s trademark warmth, love, and humor, Don’t Sing at the Table introduces a pair of feisty, intelligent, and strong forces of nature whose lives embody the story of 20th-century America itself. Between them, the extraordinary Lucia and Viola lived through the century from beginning to end, surviving immigration, young widowhood, single motherhood, four wars, and the Great Depression. Culled from their remarkable experiences, this heartfelt guide, at turns hilarious and poignant, offers answers to the seminal questions in a woman’s life, from getting married to saving money, nurturing the soul to keeping calm in a crisis, raising children to finding private comfort.

My Thoughts:

Adriana Trigiani is one of my favorite authors and her novels are some of my all time favorites. I was excited to read her non-fiction book Don't Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from my Grandmothers a biography paying a loving tribute to her two grandmothers who both immigrated from Italy. They both were strong, working women who valued hard work and perseverance and they seemed to maintain a positive attitude about life. Both women had a great influence on the author who gleaned many life lessons from them. She shares these life lessons with the reader through anecdotes, pictures and stories and reflects how these lessons are relevant today and have influenced and formed the person she has become.

I found myself thinking of my own grandmother ( that passed away last summer) throughout the reading of this book. She was younger than Adriana's grandmothers but she had similar character traits related to hard work, making the most of your time, and she cared for her outward appearance "as a lady should" during this era. My grandmother was still washing and ironing her own clothes in the little laundry room at the nursing home where she lived just a year before she died. She loved ironing (not a trait that I inherited) and I understand that she ironed everything when she was raising her family. She had an abundance of energy, and went back to work full time when my grandfather had a heart attack when they were in their 40's. I just learned from my aunt that she stuffed envelopes in the evening to make extra money, she would do all that she could and got by on little sleep and always had a smile on her face. This passage from the book reminds me of my grandmother whom I miss terribly and think of every day. I feel very fortunate to have had her in my life:

"Whenever I came into the room, she'd light up, so happy to see me. No one ever in the course of my entire life was ever as happy to see me as she was. Looking back, now, I realize that you only ever need one person who lights up that way when you enter a room. One person is all it takes to give a kid confidence." (pg.44)

This is a beautiful tribute from a granddaughter to her grandmothers that celebrates women and family and reminds us of the life lessons that we can all learn from our grandparents. Fans of Adriana Trigiani will adore this book as well as those who enjoy reading biographies and memoirs related to family. There is also a wonderful chapter at the end with bonus recipes from Adriana's grandmothers.

About Adriana Trigiani

Award-winning playwright, television writer, and documentary filmmaker Adriana Trigiani is the author of the bestselling Very Valentine and Brava, Valentine, part of the Valentine series, Viola in Reel Life and Viola in the Spotlight, part of her new young adult series, as well as the bestselling Big Stone Gap series, and the bestselling novelLucia, Lucia. She also has written and will direct the big-screen version of her first novel, Big Stone Gap. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

Visit Adriana at her website: www.adrianatrigiani.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book for review.

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

Compliments of Harper Collins:

I have one copy of Don't Sing at the Table to give away.

For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment here. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry)

For a 2nd Entry (Separate Comment): Follow my blog, you can follow through Google Friend Connect to the left in my side column. If you already do, thank you, and please make sure to let me know in your comment so I can pass the entry on to you as well. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry).

For a 3rd Entry (Separate Comment): Spread the word about this giveaway and Retweet, retweet button below my name at the end of this post. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry).

*Open to US & Canada only, NO PO Boxes please.

Enter by November 14 , 2011

Winner of Little Did I know by Mitchell Maxwell....

2011-10-30T14:08:00.000-04:00

Rubynreba

Thanks to Meryl L. Moss Media for sponsoring this giveaway.

They will be mailing a copy of the book to the winner. Thanks to all who entered!

Mailbox Monday

2011-10-24T19:04:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Savvy Verse and Wit

during the month of September.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

This is what I received in my mailbox:

From PaperbackSwap:

When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

Saturday Snapshot

2011-10-22T13:16:00.000-04:00

Saturday Snapshot

is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books.

It's easy to participate - just post a picture

that was taken by you, a friend, or a family member

and add your link on Alyce's site.

I wanted to share this photo I took a few weeks ago when my husband, son and I went to a nearby park that has a gorgeous lake that you can see in this picture. It's a very peaceful place to walk and enjoy the nature and quiet. There is a walking path that takes you around the lake and in the summer you can rent canoes or paddle boats and take them out on the lake. It was a beautiful fall day and I liked how the blue paddle boats and canoes looked against the background of the lake. You can see the leaves on the trees beyond the lake just starting to turn colors. We had a late start to the colorful change of fall leaves here in Ohio due to the excessive amount of rain we've received.

Review & Giveaway: Super Immunity by Joel Fuhrman, MD

2011-10-17T00:01:00.010-04:00

About SUPER IMMUNITY by Joel Fuhrman, MD:

Why do some of us get sick with greater frequency than others?What makes us more susceptible to illness? Are we doomed to get sick when our coworkers and family members do?Is there a secret to staying healthy?

Joel Fuhrman, M.D., a leading expert and board-certified medical specialist in prevention and reversing disease, offers a comprehensive guide to superior health.

Based on the latest scientific research, Super Immunity shows us how we can become almost totally resistant to colds, influenza, and other infections.

The evidence is overwhelming: we can supercharge our immune system to protect our bodies against disease—everything from the common cold to cancer. Nutritional science has made phenomenal strides and discoveries in recent years, and when this new research is applied it enables us to seize control of our health like never before. Dr. Fuhrman explains this new science, providing everything you need to know to put this knowledge into action in your kitchen and in your life.

What we eat has everything to do with our health, and, unfortunately, too many of us are living with a severely depleted immune function. Our dietary choices are making us sicker, shortening our lives, and costing us billions of dollars in doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription medications. But Dr. Fuhrman doesn’t believe more medical care is the answer. Rather, he explains the solution is to change the way we eat. The standard American diet is nutrient deficient. We are eating too many highly processed foods, foods with added sweeteners, and animal fats and protein. At the same time, we are not eating enough fruits, beans, seeds, and vegetables, which leaves us lacking in hundreds of the most important immune-building compounds. By changing our diets and combining foods that contain powerful immune-strengthening capabilities, we can prevent most common modern diseases.

Super Immunity is not a diet book but a nutritional guide with the intent to boost your immune system which will result in living longer, being stronger and reducing risk of disease. Our society, especially the American society has a diet high in processed foods full of chemicals and ingredients. They are cheaper and convenient, but they deprive our bodies of the nutrients of whole foods from fresh vegetables and fruits. This in turn, effects the way our bodies function and makes us more prone to illness. Many of us are aware of this and are on the search to find a healthier way of eating.

I was intrigued with the premise of this book and the link to diet and nutrition and its effect on our immune system and ability to fight off colds, flu as well as cancer, heart disease and autoimmune disorders. Dr Fuhrman promotes a nutritarian diet which is a diet rich in micro nutrients. It is a defined as a diet rich in natural plant food which boosts the immune system, naturally lowers weight and fends off illness. Dr Fuhrman supports his claims with significant research and personal stories from patients of his that have benefited from this approach. The nutritarian diet is similar to the vegetarian diet with protein mainly coming from beans/legumes, nuts and seeds.

The 5 Daily Rules for Super Immunity:

1) Eat one large green salad every day (preferably two)

2) Eat at least a half-cup serving of beans/legumes in soup, salad or a dish once daily

3) Eat at least 3 fresh fruits a day, especially berries, pomegranate, cherries, plums. oranges

4) Eat at least one ounce raw nuts and seeds daily

5) Eat at least one large (double-size) serving of steamed green vegetables daily

Dr Fuhrman includes information on the risk/benefit of the flu shot and how it relates to medical care in general. I found this section to be very informative as he brings to light the important concerns about the risk/benefits and informs the consumer about what is in the flu shot and the concerns related to safety and health concerns. There is a large section in the back of the book dedicated to menus and recipes to go along with this nutritional approach. For me and my family, some of the nutritional changes can be implemented with increasing fruits and vegetables. The approach of encouraging protein sources in the diet from beans/legumes and nuts will not work for my family as our son has life threatening allergies to nuts and legumes and some beans are in the same food family as peanuts which are a risk for our son to eat. This is a nutritional approach that may be healthy for some although those with food allergies need to be aware that this approach may not be safe for them to implement.

There is a wealth of research to support Dr. Fuhrmans claims that he cites in the book. This is what is different from many health and nutrition books and allows the reader to research further if they so choose. With that said, I did find the scientific benefits helpful to understand his claims although at times it was too much scientific information to hold my interest. I have a medical background and am concerned that this technical approach at times may turn away the novice reader. I have not read Dr Fuhrman's other books to compare them and they may be written in the same style. Dr Fuhrman has written a thorough and well researched book that supports the connection between nutrition and our immune system and its ability to fight off colds and flu as well as other illnesses.

For more information from Dr. Fuhrman,

be sure to visit his web site,www.drfuhrman.com,

follow him on Facebook & Twitter!

You can also Text keyword "SUPERIMMUNITY"
to READIT (732348) for bonus content.

Thanks to Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of this book for review.

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

Compliments of Harper Collins:

I have one copy of SUPER IMMUNITY to give away.

For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment here. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry)

*Open to US & Canada only, NO PO Boxes please.

Enter by October 30 , 2011

Mailbox Monday

2011-10-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Savvy Verse and Wit

during the month of September.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

It's been awhile since I've shared what I received in my mail box. Here are a few of the books that I've received recently:

MFW Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche from the publisher

Immortal Bird by Doron Weber from Simon & Schuster

The Time in Between by Maria Duenas from the publisher

Scavenger Hunt Blog Tour, Giveaway & Guest Post with Mitchell Maxwell author of Little Did I Know

2011-10-16T16:54:00.000-04:00

Mitchell Maxwell, a Tony Award winning producer, director and 35-year veteran of the entertainment industry has a new novel that was just published called Little Did I Know.

Maxwell is the visionary producer behind the rollicking Broadway revival of Damn Yankees featuring the legendary Jerry Lewis – which was nominated for multiple Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical – and the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Dinner with Friends. He has produced the Broadway musicals Play On! Bells are Ringing (Tony-nominated for Best Revival of a Musical), Blues in the Night (Tony Nominated as Best Musical), Brooklyn, and the percussive theatrical wonder, Stomp!

Guest Post by Mitchell Maxwell:

Years ago I did a musical on London's West End where it became a big smash hit. After we danced and celebrated and the thanked the theater gods toasting each one with a fresh pint we came to the sober realization that we had a show that was the buzz of Piccadilly and beyond. Within days we had offers to take the show on tour in the UK, remount it in NY were offered a lucrative guaranteed tour of Japan. Has I had come to learn "hits are fun".

So, we loved the British company and decided to keep them for the remount in NY and then bring them to Japan. Saving money and keeping the family together. Unfortunately the unions would not allow the entire company to make the journey so we were forced to choose who we might replace and went about the process with a sense of joy mixed with melancholy. We all agreed on one actor that "had to stay" even if we had to throw down the gaulet to the gods of the union. So on the day of auditions whenever an actress walked in to sing for this "taken" role her chances were slim and none.

And then I learned something that stays with me every time a performer walks in and has the guts and resolve and courage to audition. You just never know where you will find magic or goose bumps or electricity in a performer so strong it can light a city.

This young woman stepped center stage, gave her name, which was barely noted and said she was going to sing a song from BALLROOM. Out of professional respect we listened and then within a moment, a heartbeat, a breath taken away we all knew at once that something special had happened and our plan had changed. Talent is a gift, professionalism is a craft but when God gives the ability to stop the world and have it pay attention and you are lucky enough to be in the room . . .well remember it is better than a real job--sort of like a snow flake --never to replicated, unique with its own power to be remembered.

I have auditioned hundreds of actors and so many of them are good. They are pleasant and special in the own way. But when a rocket ship walks in and fires up I have learned to get on and enjoy the ride. That's how you discover art, your own gifts and your own insights. The journey is fluid, the play is the thing and goose bumps is the goal.

I have met hundreds of actors --I remember talent most, then character and how when we shook hands did our eyes meet and register a connection. The good ones come back and it is fun to be there when they do.

Excerpt:

He lit a killer joint and passed it around the group as if it were a peace pipe, a pact to hold on to the dreams that pulsed through our veins.

Elliot, another friend, pressed the point. “Sammy, it’s the bicentennial. Add something to the party.” He grinned as if he had said something profound.

“I have,” I said, smiling with drunken mischievousness.

“Well?” Elliot continued, shouting as much as gobs of bourbon and fatigue would allow. “What are you gonna do? Win a theater in a poker game? Make out with some heiress? We are done here in two months!”

I held a finger to my lips and gave a long, slurred, “Shush. Believing is part of figuring it all out. It’s part of the plan. If you don’t sign up for the plan, there is no plan.”

Make sure to visit Girls Just Reading, Here to read the next portion of the excerpt...

Before Stomp! thundered onto the off-Broadway stage of the Orpheum Theater, before Jerry Lewis thrilled an entire legion of new fans in Broadway’s smash revival of Damn Yankees, before David Mamet’s Oleanna challenged a nation’s mores, before Paul Rudnick spoke to a generation ravished by AIDS with humor and compassion in Jeffrey and The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, or Dinner with Friends won the Pulitzer Prize, there was Mitchell Maxwell – a young man who dreamed of becoming a Broadway producer.

Mitchell Maxwell helped bring these original and groundbreaking productions to life through a combination of audacious vision, bold creativity and the ability to spot potential that others missed. By embracing his dream, Maxwell actually lived it as he worked his way up from summer stock neophyte to Tony Award-winning producer. He has recreated those heady, by-gone days in his new book LITTLE DID I KNOW (Prospecta Press; October 5, 2011; $25.00) written in classic roman á clef style. This is a daring coming-of-age tale filled with romance, laughter, heartbreak and applause about a young entrepreneur who sets the stage for fledgling artists while living a life so many aspire to but never realize.

Set in Plymouth, MA in the late-to-the-party seventies, a young man dreams of refurbishing a dilapidated historic theater in order to produce vibrant musicals in the great tradition of summer stock. Newly graduated from college, he fills his cast and crew with beloved classmates, undeniable new talents and memorable personalities. Yet, while the productions drive his dreams of becoming a Broadway producer, a local woman drives his passions; their romance is fateful, star-crossed, and ultimately more than either of them expected. Told with compassion and the kind of detail only a Broadway veteran like Mitchell Maxwell can provide, LITTLE DID I KNOW is a novel about being in the spotlight and embracing destiny in a single season.

Maxwell is the president, CCO and director of MCrew Media LLC, who has produced seven Broadway shows, more than 30 off-Broadway and regional productions, four national tours, three West End productions and six major motion pictures, including the Drama Desk winnerMarvin’s Room, and the Tony- and Olivier-nominated international hit Blues in the Night. His productions have been nominated for – and won – every major theatrical award including the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Obie, Olivier and Ovation awards.

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

Thanks to Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, I have one copy of LITTLE DID I KNOW by Mitchell Maxwell to giveaway.

For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment here. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry)

*Open to US & Canada only.

Enter by October 28 , 2011

Winners of Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman.....

2011-09-27T09:24:00.000-04:00

Britt T.

and

LuAnn from Reading Frenzy

Thanks to the publisher, Simon & Schuster for sponsoring this giveaway.

I will be mailing copies of the books to the winners. Thanks to all who entered!

Guest Post with Kimberley Freeman author of Wildflower Hill

2011-09-23T18:28:00.035-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Kimberley Freeman, author of Wildflower Hill to Redlady's Reading Room. I posted a review and giveaway of Wildflower Hill, earlier this month. I enjoyed reading Wildflower Hill which is a wonderful family saga that is beautifully written revealing family secrets that lead to an amazing journey of self discovery and a testament to the power of love.

Kimberley Freeman shares her thoughts on writing Wildflower Hill:

Writing Wildflower Hill was a huge challenge for me, because part of it is set in the 1930s in Tasmania, which isn’t a place and time a great deal is written about. In many ways, it would have been much easier to set a book during the Regency period in England, because we’re all so familiar with what it looks like, what people wore, and so on. But I wasn’t even sure if the places I was writing about had electricity and gas. I wrote the whole story assuming they did not, but then a chance sighting of a 1930s photograph in a Hamilton pub (in Tasmania) had me rewriting the whole thing (there were visible power lines). In fact, the whole book was researched backwards for reasons beyond my control.

I’d been to Tasmania a few times, and had planned a long trip to the area the book is set in for Easter of 2009. This was timed so I would be researching that part of the story directly before writing it; but then two days before we were due to leave (I was taking the whole family) my then 2-year-old daughter came down with a violent gastro bug. It was round the clock vomiting and diarrhoea for the poor thing, and it became apparent we couldn’t travel. She ended up being seriously ill for nearly a week, but when she was well again and I could turn my mind once more to the book, I realized I had done NO research and my deadline wasn’t going anywhere. We couldn’t re-book until July. The book was due in August.

So I wrote anyway. I put square brackets in every time I hit a place where I’d need a detail, and I just kept going, writing furiously, to get a first draft completed before the trip. A blog entry from about two weeks after the aborted trip reads: “Some of the writing is horrendous, I must confess, but just yesterday as I was telling my mum about the story, I got a real sense of what the book is all about… Put simply, it’s a story about a girl who thought her grandmother was a nice old lady, and discovers–when she inherits her grandmother’s old house in Tasmania–that Gran was a lot more complex than originally thought.” The story gathered momentum and I finished the first draft in a white heat: “Some people compare writing a novel to giving birth. I usually roll my eyes when this happens, especially when men say it, because unless you’re squeezing a hardcover out your left nostril the comparison is flawed. But this close to the end of the process, there is the same kind of awful momentum, the same irresistible compulsion to get something outside yourself that has been growing within for a long time. I have lost the world; there is only the story. My family talk to me and all I hear is ‘blah blah blah’ like the adults in Charlie Brown cartoons. My brain is finding the ends of threads and pulling them together, tying them, untying them, retying them different ways. I shouldn’t be allowed to drive.”

Then I printed it out and took it to Tassie with me. We stayed on a working sheep farm in the midlands, and it was the middle of winter so utterly freezing. But beautiful and still and quiet. I duly wrote down bird and tree names, wove in descriptions of frost or the way the clouds made shadows on the rolling hills, and secured a key detail (about eucalypts!) that made a special thread of the book sing. I can’t imagine having written the book any other way now. I can procrastinate a lot in research, so doing it backwards worked beautifully (on this occasion anyway).

About Kimberley Freeman from her website:

Kimberley was born in London and her family moved back to Australia when she was three years old. She grew up in Queensland where she currently lives.

Kimberley has written for as long as she can remember and she is proud to write in many genres. She is an award-winning writer in children’s, historical and speculative fiction under her birth name Kim Wilkins. She adopted the pen name Kimberley Freeman for her commercial women’s fiction novels Duet and Gold Dust to honour her maternal grandmother and to try and capture the spirit of the page-turning novels she has always loved to read. Kim has an Honours degree, a Masters degree and a PhD from The University of Queensland where she is also a lecturer. She lives in Brisbane with her young family.

Check out my review of Wildflower Hill and to enter for a chance to win a copy of the book, HERE or click on the link on the left sidebar. Giveaway ends tomorrow, September 24th.

Weekend Cooking: Kathleen Flinn's Pasta Pomodora Recipe from The Kitchen Counter Cooking School

2011-09-17T12:06:00.000-04:00

I have been spotlighting Kathleen Flinn's new book The Kitchen Counter Cooking School (to be released by Viking on October 3, 2011) in my Weekend Cooking posts this month. This week, I am spotlighting Kathleen's Pasta Pomodora recipe. It's my kind of recipe, quick and easy and it uses all natural ingredients. This is an easy alternative to opening up that jar of spaghetti sauce from the grocery store. I just went to a nearby farmer's market this morning and bought fresh tomatoes so I plan to make this tomorrow.

Check out this cooking video lesson with Kathleen teaching how to make Pasta Pomodora from her upcoming book The Kitchen Counter Cooking School.

Pomodoro (Fresh Tomato Sauce)

Be sure to have the pasta cooking and all the ingredients ready before starting the sauce; this is ready more quickly than you’d expect. Flavorful fresh tomatoes make all the difference here; cherry tomatoes work especially well and they’re available year-round. Just cut them in half. Carefully scoop out a bit of the pasta water to finish the sauce.

Makes enough for about 4 side portions or 2 main-dish servings

8 ounces dried pasta, such as penne or linguine, or 12 ounces fresh pasta

Coarase salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

About 12 ounces tomatoes, chopped

Handful of chopped parsley or basil

Pinch or two of hot pepper flakes

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Boil water for the pasta. Add at least 1 tablespoon of salt to the water; it should taste slightly salty. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; reserve about ½ cup of pasta water after cooking.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute; be sure not to burn it or you’ll need to start over. Add the tomatoes, and any other vegetables (see below), and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes for tomatoes on their own, longer if you add in other vegetables.

Add the reserved pasta water and cook until the sauce is reduced slightly and the rest of the ingredients begin to break down, about another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cheese, red pepper flakes and fresh herbs (if using) several cranks of fresh black pepper, and salt if needed.

Consider adding the following:

Splash of cream at the end of cooking for a more creamy texture

Handful of additional chopped vegetables, such as zucchini, artichokes, olives, and/or asparagus, to extend the sauce and offer additional flavor

Shrimp or diced cooked chicken with the tomatoes (Shrimp can be added raw, but be sure to cook them thoroughly; they should turn white throughout and curl up tightly.)

©Kathleen Flinn, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School, Viking/Penguin 2011

Recipe and photo courtesy of Kathleen Flinn author of The Kitchen Counter Cooking School

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, go to Beth Fish Reads.

Mailbox Monday

2011-09-11T16:29:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Amused by Books during the month of September.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

Here's what arrived in my mailbox this week:

The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass from a friend, Thanks Huxy!

From Paperbackswap:

The Writing Class by Jincy Willett

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim

The Sunday Salon: Review & Giveaway Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman

2011-09-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

About Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman (from Simon and Schuster/Touchstone):

Spanning three generations and half the world, WILDFLOWER HILL: A Novel (Touchstone Books/A Simon & Schuster Trade Paperback; August 23, 2011) by Kimberley Freeman is a sweeping story of two women who share a legacy of secrets, heartbreak, courage, and love. In present day, Emma, a prima ballerina in London suffering from a broken heart and a career-ending injury, is at a crossroads both personally and professionally. Returning home to Australia, she learns that she has inherited a sheep station in isolated Tasmania from her grandmother, Beattie. Certain she has been saddled with an irritating burden, Emma leaves for Wildflower Hill to sell the estate. At Wildflower Hill, the two women’s stories become intertwined as Emma gradually uncovers the secrets of her grandmother’s history. In the 1930s, Beattie also found herself at a crossroads as a young woman - unwed and pregnant by a married man.

My Thoughts:

I love immersing myself into a good family saga and Wildflower Hill fits the bill perfectly adding a historical perspective. Wildflower Hill was an engrossing novel that intertwines the stories of two women, a grandmother and granddaughter who are linked through a family bond as well as life events. The story unfolds beautifully, spanning three generations and in three countries that are worlds apart - Scotland, England and Australia.

The story is told as a double narrative, through the perspective of two women, Beattie the grandmother and Emma the granddaughter. Beattie, who grew up in Scotland, tells her story starting in the 1920's when she is 18 years old and discovers she is pregnant with her married lovers child. She is disowned by her parents and she travels to Australia with her boyfriend to start a new life. Things don't turn out as Beattie dreamed although she is a strong woman who finds a way to survive. Emma tells her story in modern day, after an injury changes her life as a world famous ballerina. She discovers that she has inherited her grandmother Beattie's sheep farm, Wildflower Hill, which is in Tasmania, Australia. Emma discovers secrets held by her grandmother's past as she cleans out her grandmothers house. Secrets that unfold that force Emma to reevaluate her own life and what is important to her and her own future.

Wildflower Hill is a family saga that is beautifully written, revealing family secrets that lead to an amazing journey of self discovery and a testament to the power of love. I enjoyed the differences between the two characters and by separating the different eras and experiences between them helped to highlight their deep connection. The characters were well developed and easy to engage with as a reader. I enjoyed reading about the backdrop of Tasmania, Australia and many scenes were so descriptive that I could imagine them in my mind. This was a book that was enjoyable to read and one that I couldn't wait to get back to when I was forced to put it down. The last chapter left things a bit undone and left me with the thought that there may be a sequel although after reading the conversation with the author at the end of the book, it sounds unlikely. The author did share a funny story about a reader who was upset that the author didn't tell exact details of what happens in the epilogue. We don't always get the perfect wrap up in a book and this one leaves some things to your imagination. I highly recommend this thoughtful and enjoyable novel.

Check out Kimberley Freeman's Website, HERE.

You can read the first chapter of Wildflower Hill, HERE.

Find a Reading Group Guide for Wildflower Hill, HERE. This includes a conversation with the author.

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

I have TWO copies of Wildflower Hill (compliments of Simon & Schuster) to give away to two lucky readers

For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment here and what you found interesting about Wildflower Hill. Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry)

*Open to US & Canada only.

Enter by September 24 , 2011

Weekend Cooking: Demo videos on Knife Skills and Making Vinaigrette by Kathleen Flinn author of The Kitchen Counter Cooking School

2011-09-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

In last week's Weekend Cooking post, I spotlighted Kathleen Flinn's new book, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School that will be released on October 3, 2011 from Viking and posted a book trailer. (Go HERE, to see the post) This week I want to spotlight two great cooking related videos by Kathleen Flinn where she teaches cooking lessons from The Kitchen Counter Cooking School.

Learn Knife Skills Video

The first video is on learning knife skills where she shows you how to properly hold and use a chef's knife. I found this a helpful video for anyone who enjoys cooking and wants to learn more about basic knife skills. I've always wanted to know the "proper" way to cut an onion and Kathleen explains and demonstrates this well. I definitely plan to give this a try, although I need to find a better set of sharper knives. Kathleen makes it look pretty simple.

Vinaigrette Lesson

The second video is on how easy it is to make your own vinaigrette salad dressing. I found this video to be very informative, I am definitely going to make my own vinaigrette salad dressing. I also learned that a simple balsamic vinaigrette has a longer shelf life unrefrigerated than I realized. Also, it is all natural and you can add different ingredients easily to make your own vinaigrette.

THE KITCHEN COUNTER COOKING SCHOOL is essentially “What Not to Wear” meets Michael Pollan. Inspired by a supermarket encounter with a woman loading up on processed foods, Le Cordon Blue graduate, and author of The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry, Kathleen Flinn decided to use her recent culinary training to help a group of nine culinary novitiates find their inner cook. These students invited Kathleen into their kitchens where she took inventory of each person’s refrigerator, cabinets and eating habits. After kitchen “makeovers” and a series of basic lessons where they learned to wield knives, trust their taste and improve their food choices, the women found a common missing ingredient—confidence. In this new book, Flinn follows these women’s journeys and includes practical, healthy tips to boost readers’ culinary confidence, strategies to get the most from their grocery dollar and simple recipes to get readers cooking.

From Viking; On-sale: October 3, 2011

* I would have loved to be part of this cooking school to learn culinary skills from Kathleen Flinn. I'll be posting a review closer to the release date of the book in October and have a great giveaway scheduled. I'm also going to post more Demo and shopping tip videos from Kathleen, recipes and information on the volunteers in my upcoming weekend cooking posts.

Mailbox Monday

2011-09-04T16:33:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Amused by Books during the month of September.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

Here's what arrived in my mailbox this week:

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn From Viking/Penguin

The Lady of the Rivers by Phillippa Gregory complimentary advance copy from Touchstone Books

The Sunday Salon: Review The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

2011-09-04T00:01:00.007-04:00

About The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (from author website)

A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wifecaptures a remarkable period of time—Paris in the twenties—and an extraordinary love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

In Chicago in 1920, Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and finds herself captivated by his good looks, intensity, and passionate desire to write. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group of expatriates that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

But the hard-drinking and fast-living café life does not celebrate traditional notions of family and monogamy. As Hadley struggles with jealousy and self-doubt and Ernest wrestles with his burgeoning writing career, they must confront a deception that could prove the undoing of one of the great romances in literary history.

My Thoughts:

I must admit that I have not read any of Hemingway's novels but am interested in his work and I have visited The Hemingway House in Key West, Florida. Despite this, the premise behind the novel The Paris Wife intrigued me as well as the setting of Paris. Paula Mclain does an excellent job of taking the reader to 1920's Paris featuring Hemingway's early career through the voice of his first wife Hadley Richardson. I found The Paris Wife to be a mesmerizing novel featuring the lost generation a group of authors that included Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald who lived life in a frenzy of parties and volatility. The Hemingway's weren't prepared for the drinking, competition amongst their friends, open relationships and beautiful woman they would meet and become friends with. There was much creativity and freedom that allowed Hemingway to spread his wings and find his way as a novelist. Hadley had much to do with this through the inspiration and support she gave him. We know that Hadley was Ernest's first wife (he had 4 wives) so it was not a surprise when the marriage is challenged and crumbles but it was difficult to read. Hadley endured a great deal as she truly adored and idolized Ernest and believed in his writing and abilities. This novel captured the voice of Hadley beautifully and I often felt as if I was reading a diary or a biography experiencing their life through her eyes.

There is an epilogue that explains what happens to Hadley and Ernest but I found myself interested in reading more and searching for more information about Hadley and Ernest's lives after their marriage ended. I am definitely interested in reading more of Hemingway's work and plan to read A Moveable Feast, which is a memoir of Hadley and Hemingway's life in Paris which was not published until after Hemingway's death.

Check out a recent guest post and interview with the author Paula McClain that I posted a few months ago.

Thanks to Random House for sending me an advance copy of the book for review.

Weekend Cooking: Spotlight on The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn

2011-09-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

From Viking; On-sale: October 3, 2011

*This looks like a fabulous book and I would have loved to be part of this cooking school to learn culinary skills from Kathleen Flinn. I'll be posting a review closer to the release date of the book in October and have a great giveaway scheduled. I'm also going to post Demo and shopping tip videos from Kathleen, recipes and information on the volunteers in my weekend cooking posts.

Check out the official Book Trailer:

Review: Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

2011-08-31T12:21:00.000-04:00

About (from Simon & Schuster):

Sarah's life is on track—the fast track. She and her husband both work 80 hour weeks at high-powered jobs in Boston, while spending as much time as possible with their three small children. Sarah is a juggler extraordinaire, keeping her demanding job and her family as balanced as she can. But when a car accident leaves her recovering from Left Neglect, a neurological impairment that robs her of her ability to control the left side of her body, she can barely get out of bed on her own. As Sarah struggles to resume her over-scheduled life, she must juggle new things—her son's ADHD diagnosis, the return of her estranged mother, and her own limitations. Given a traumatic opportunity to reassess what is really important in life, Sarah must decide where her priorities lie.

My Thoughts:

I read Left Neglected a few months ago and believe it's a book that everyone should read. It is the kind of book that makes you stop and think about how life can change in an instant. Our culture and society in the U.S. is one that has become very success driven and often for good reasons to be financially secure to take care of our families and hopefully have a retirement down the road. This is a hard balance for many working parents. I understand that as I was a working professional in a high stress career prior to having my son and then chose to stay at home after he was born. I went back to work part time a few years ago and am able to work around my son's school schedule and have summers off, for my family I am fortunate that I can do that. Our priorities can become unbalanced and often working 60 plus hours a week as parents with young children is an example of how that effects the family dynamics and each person individually. This is how Sarah and Bob's life was, as they both had highly stressful and demanding jobs and were raising three young children. Sarah was the master of multi-tasking often using her drive time to/from work and taking her kids to/from daycare and to sporting events to make phone calls on her cell phone for her job.

Sarah has an accident while on her cell phone and driving. She suffers a brain injury which manifests itself as Left Neglect, a neurological condition which causes a person to visually neglect the left hand side of space and they behave as if the left side of space is not there. Sarah has this condition of Left Neglect and although she has her vision, her brain doesn't process or register things on her left side. She cannot tell that something is on her left side and has difficulty controlling the left side of her body as well. If she sees a plate of food, she will only register that the right side has food and that the left side is empty. She may only see the numbers on the right side of a clock, numbers 12 through 6 and believe that the left side is blank.

The novel is written in the first person, from Sarah's point of view and follows Sarah from her accident through her rehabilitation process, her family's adjustment and her mother coming to help her and her family and their struggles working through past issue as mother and daughter. Ms. Genova did a fabulous job giving a voice to what Sarah was experiencing and thinking as she struggled through the rehabilitation process and realization of how different her life had become after her accident. As a medical professional, Occupational Therapist, I found that Ms. Genova's neuroscience background helped tremendously in explaining in layman's terms how the condition of Left Neglect can affect an individual such as Sarah. I have treated patients with Left Neglect and understand the challenges and difficulties they face. Ms. Genova did an excellent job of allowing the reader to be inside the head of someone with Left Neglect and to get an understanding of how they may feel and what they experience. I did have some reservations about the way Occupational and Physical Therapy were presented in the book and felt that the portrayal of the roles of the two professions weren't always accurate. In my opinion, some of the treatments that the Physical Therapist was doing with Sarah would most often be done with an Occupational Therapist and I found the Occupational Therapist's role too limited in the rehabilitation process with Sarah.

This is a wonderful novel with a strong message about cell phone safety as well, as Sarah had her accident while on the phone and driving. It made me stop and think about my own cell phone use and how important a call or text can be compared to the safety of yourself and your family. I highly recommend this novel, this is the first book that I've read by Genova who is well known for her first book Still Alice. I have a copy on my bookshelf and look forward to reading that as well.

For more information on the author, go to Lisa Genova's Website.

Check out this interesting interview with the author, Lisa Genova on The Diane Rehm Show, HERE.

Check out this trailer for Left Neglected:

Mailbox Monday

2011-08-28T18:08:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Staci at Life in the Thumb during the month of August.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

I received one book in my mailbox this week:

My Year with Eleanor by Noelle Hancock
win from Holly at 2 Kids and Tired Books -Thanks Holly!

Sunday Salon: Back to School

2011-08-28T18:00:00.000-04:00

Things have been quiet here on the blog as it's Back to School week for my son and I. My son started 7th grade and sadly, he thought it wasn't too cool for mom to take a first day of school picture. I disagree and fortunately, we took family pictures last week so I have a good picture of him around this time of year. The school district I work for starts next week and I am starting the scheduling, planning and organizing process with changes ahead for the school year. I'll be working with 5th through 12th graders so it will definitely be an interesting year. I'm fortunate to work part time and I have great team members to work with.

I've finished reading a few books and have reviews to work on for:

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy (Audio book)

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (Kindle)

I am currently reading:

The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War by Michael Shaara (For September book club)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (Audio book)

The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht (Audio book on ipod)

Mailbox Monday

2011-08-21T20:59:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Staci at Life in the Thumb during the month of August.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

This is what I received in my mailbox. Thankfully, it was a much lighter week and I received some great books!

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer win from Bookfan- Thanks Mary!

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson win from A Bookworm's World- Thanks Luanne!

The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison from Paperbackswap

The Sunday Salon: The Help Movie Review

2011-08-21T00:01:00.005-04:00

I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett when it first came out in 2009 (my review is here)and then discussed it with my book club last year. It was on my list of best books for 2009 and remains a favorite book for me. I saw the movie together with my book club instead of a book club meeting this month. The Help, the movie is based on the best selling book by Kathryn Stockett in which both look at the relationships between the white women and the African American maids that work for them in a southern town in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's.

I believe that they did an excellent job adapting the book to the movie. Although it's been awhile since I've read the book, I didn't notice any significant changes. I felt it stayed true to the heart of the book. I was drawn into the movie from the start and didn't want it to end. The casting was excellent and true to the characters in the book. They were all outstanding in my mind and I hope to see some academy award nominations down the road. The Help is a movie that engages the audience, even if you have not read the book. I heard laughter, tears, cheers and clapping from the movie theater. It touched my heart and I loved it. This is definitely a must see movie, perfect to see with your friends, book club, for mothers & daughters and couples.

Winner of To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal.....

2011-08-19T09:04:00.000-04:00

Staci from Life in the Thumb

Thanks to the publisher, Hachette for sponsoring this giveaway

and to all who entered!

Mailbox Monday

2011-08-14T21:35:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Staci at Life in the Thumb during the month of July.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

This is what I received in my mailbox, it was overflowing again this week. I'm almost embarrassed to share all my books. I had a streak of luck and won several giveaways which you can see below:

This was the most exciting item in my mailbox this week. We received a large box filled to the brim with vintage kids books. My son and I won this fabulous giveaway of Vintage Kids Books from the fabulous website Forgotten Bookmarks. If you haven't checked out this site, you must! It's one of my favorite sites to visit and my son and I love to see the fun and even weird things that they have found inside the rare and vintage books that they buy at their bookstore. As you can see in this picture, I have given these books to my son and they are now filling up one shelf of his bookcase. He is 12 years old and loves old things, especially books and has a small collection of older vintage kids books. He likes to see the publication date of when the book was published and the personal inscriptions, often in fountain pen. M from Forgotten Bookmarks was so kind in sending extra books for my son who is a collector and added a nice collection of Hardy Boys books (which my son collects) and others. I'm not going to list all the titles but you can click on the picture and can see up close the titles. There are many wonderful titles from The Hardy Boys, Little Men by Lousia Alcott to Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson and many more.

I won this great giveaway of a ONE DAY prize pack from Booking Mama which included an autographed copy of ONE DAY by David Nicholls (movie tie-in edition) a clear cosmetic case, necklace and Moleskin Journal.

Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman from Touchstone/Simon and Schuster

You don't Sweat Much for a fat girl by Celia Rivenbark from Wunderkind PR

Coming Up for Air by Patti Callahan Henry from Wunderkind PR

If Jack's In Love by Stephen Wetta from Amy Einhorn Books/Penguin

A Secret Gift by Ted Gup from Paperbackswap

How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal from Paperbackswap

The Sunday Salon: Review of Skinnygirl Cocktails White Sangria and Margarita

2011-08-14T12:50:00.006-04:00

I heard about the Skinnygirl Cocktail line from a friend and decided that I wanted to try them. I liked the idea of a healthier cocktail and liked that Skinnygirl Cocktails are lower in calories lightly sweetened and with nothing artificial. I have rosacea, a skin condition that is triggered when I drink white wine and my dermatologist recently suggested that I stick to cocktails or beer and stay away from wine. I am not a daily drinker but I do enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail. The Skinnygirl Cocktails are available in Margarita and White Sangria.

The Skinnygirl Margarita has been out for awhile and is easier to find. I found a bottle of Skinnygirl Margarita last month at a local grocery store and it was on sale for $11.99 which was comparable to the other bottled margarita brands. I have to say that I was not fond of the Skinnygirl Margarita. I found it sour and the flavor wasn't palatable for me. I added it to a fruit smoothie I made and thought that it would taste like a frozen margarita. It dominated the flavors and didn't blend with the fruit flavors. I have to say that my husband loves the Skinnygirl Margarita and finished the bottle. He thinks that "Skinnygirl Margarita rules", maybe they should make a Skinnyguy line as many of my friends have shared with me that they weren't fond of the Skinnygirl Margarita either.

Last week, I found a bottle of the Skinnygirl White Sangria and it was the last bottle on the shelf. I was excited that I found a bottle as I thought that I would like this better than the Skinnygirl Margarita. It was a bit pricier and not on sale at $12.99 a bottle. I cut up some fresh fruit (peaches, raspberries, strawberries) and added the fruit to the chilled sangria and garnished it with a strawberry and slice of orange (picture above) for my husband and I. The Skinnygirl Sangria is sweeter than the Skinnygirl Margarita but it has an unusal aftertaste that I didn't care for. When I tasted it without the fruit, It tasted "tinny" as if I was drinking something from an aluminum can. I didn't care for the color and my husband commented that it was an unusual yellow color. It is not an appealing color compared to the margarita which is primarily clear with a white hint of color. I preferred the Skinnygirl White Sangria with the fruit as it gave it a sweeter flavor with less of the tinny aftertaste. Overall, the Sangria was definitely my favorite compared to the margarita flavor. I doubt that I'd buy the Skinnygirl Margarita or Skinnygirl White Sangria again. I'm glad that I tried it but I'd prefer to make it myself. I found these recipes for Skinnygirl Margarita's and Skinnygirl Sangria that you can make from scratch. I plan to try them both...or maybe my husband will make them as he thinks it's easier and more cost effective. These are both nice summer drinks, you can sit on your deck or patio and enjoy them with a group of friends. These would be great drinks for a book club gathering as well.

Here are some Skinnygirl cocktail recipes:

How To Make a Skinnygirl Sangria

Make Skinnygirl Sangria (doesn’t need to be made in advance) using freshly cut fruit, reasonably priced sparkling wine served in large pitchers so you don’t have to play bartender.

8 peaches, pitted and sliced
4 white plums, pitted and sliced
1 pound green grapes, cut in half
3 bottles Prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine)
One 12-ounce can Fresca or diet lemon/lime soda (I would think that you can use regular lemon/lime soda also)
One 12-ounce can club soda

Combine all the ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve over ice.

* Other fruit that would work could be strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, oranges etc.

(recipe from Bethenny Frankel's website)

Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Margarita

For a delicious Margarita on the rocks (that will not blow your diet), try Bethenny's easy recipe:

What you'll need:

2 oz of Clear Premium Tequila (count 1, 2 while you pour, no need for measuring)

Tiny splash of Orange Liquor

Juice of four Fresh Lime Wedges

A splash of Grand Marnier or BOLS Triple Sec

Combine all ingredients over a glass of ice and garnish with a lime wedge.

Makes one serving (Recipe from Health.com)

There are more cocktail recipes here: 5 fabulous Cocktails under 220 calories

Mailbox Monday

2011-08-08T00:01:00.016-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Staci at Life in the Thumb during the month of July.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

This is what I received in my mailbox, it was overflowing this week:

E-books for my Kindle from Netgalley :

Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

Next to Love by Ellen Feldman

Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

-----------------------------------------------------

The Grief of Others by Leah Hager Cohen from Riverhead Books/Penguin

The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams from Bantam Books

Slow Love by Dominique Browning from Penguin

Little Black Dress by Susan McBride from LibraryThing Early Reviewers and William Morrow/Harper Collins

Does a Bear Sh*t in the woods by Caroline Taggart from Penguin

Sisters of the Sari by Brenda L. Baker from Paperbackswap

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee from Paperbackswap

The Sunday Salon: Summertime, Reading & Orchids

2011-08-07T00:01:00.005-04:00

The summer is passing quickly and it will soon be time for my son and I to head back to school. He is entering the 7th grade in middle school and I'm returning to part time work in the schools. I seem to be a slow reader lately. I have many wonderful books to read although I haven't had as much time to read and write my reviews. I'd love to go on a reading vacation and sit in a hammock somewhere beautiful and relax and read with a nice cold drink at my side and no responsibilities. Wishful thinking, I know...that is not in the cards for me at this time. Someday...a girl can dream.

I received an orchid as a gift this summer and have fallen in love with these beautiful flowers. I am not the most talented at gardening and I don't have a green thumb. I am determined that my orchid will thrive and survive. It's a beautiful pink/purple Just Add Ice Orchid. Yes, the name says it all, you feed your orchid once a week with three ice cubes. I've heard that you need to feed your orchid as well and I'll have to figure that out. The Just Add Ice Orchids are gorgeous orchids grown by a local grower and are available across the US. Their website has a wealth of information and they can be found on Facebook as well. They featured my orchid picture that I posted on Facebook in a closeup and sent it out on twitter. I wrote about it on my Facebook wall and got so many comments that my husband felt like we had added a new member to the family. It brightens my day as I have it sitting by my kitchen window. Here are some pictures:

Is anyone else a fan of orchids?

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal

2011-08-03T08:19:00.000-04:00

To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal

Book Spotlight & Giveaway:

TO BE SUNG UNDERWATER is the epic love story of a woman trying to remember, and the man who could not even begin to forget.

Judith Whitman always believed in the kind of love that "picks you up in Akron and sets you down in Rio." Long ago, she once experienced that love. Willy Blunt was a carpenter with a dry wit and a steadfast sense of honor. Marrying him seemed like a natural thing to promise. But Willy Blunt was not a person you could pick up in Nebraska and transport to Stanford. When Judith left home, she didn't look back.

Twenty years later, Judith's marriage is hazy with secrets. In her hand is what may be the phone number for the man who believed she meant it when she said she loved him. If she called, what would he say?

Learn more about this book on Goodreads.

You can find more information about Tom McNeal:

On Facebook

On McNealBooks.com

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

I have one copy of TO BE SUNG UNDERWATER (compliments of Hachette )to give away to one lucky reader.

For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment here and Make sure to include your email address (no email, no entry)

*Open to US & Canada only.

Enter by August 18 , 2011

Mailbox Monday

2011-08-01T08:01:00.000-04:00

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Staci at Life in the Thumb during the month of July.

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here)

This is what I received in my mailbox last week:

The Pub Across The Pond by Mary Carter from the author for a Pump Up Your Book Tour

Homefires by Emilie Sue Harvey (Free Kindle Book)

Facebook Fairytales by Emily Liebert (Free Kindle Book)

Winner of The Gin & Chowder Club by Nan Rossiter

2011-08-01T07:36:00.000-04:00

Mary from Bookfan

(The Gin & Chowder Club by Nan Rossiter)

Thanks to the author, Nan Rossiter for sponsoring this giveaway.

Thanks to all who entered, I'll be posting more giveaways soon.

Mailbox Monday

2011-07-25T00:01:00.015-04:00

(Photo credit from Staci at Life in the Thumb)

~Mailbox Monday~
is hosted by A Sea of Books during the month of July.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

This is what I received in my mailbox last week:

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (Kindle edition- I bought it with a gift card)

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles from Viking/Penguin

The sweet by and by by Todd Johnson from Paperbackswap

Bedeviled Eggs by Laura Childs from Paperbackswap

The Sunday Salon: Review of Faith by Jennifer Haigh

2011-07-24T16:35:00.000-04:00

Faith by Jennifer Haigh

About (from Harper Collins): When Sheila McGann sets out to redeem her disgraced brother, a once-beloved Catholic priest in suburban Boston, her quest will force her to confront cataclysmic truths about her fractured Irish-American family, her beliefs, and, ultimately, herself.

My Thoughts:

Faith is one of the most powerful books that I have read in a long time. The author's writing is spellbinding. She weaves a tale that, as a reader, you think that you know where she is going and then she turns the story around and takes you to places you didn't expect. I just finished the book and must say that it touched me on so many levels that it left me feeling as if I personally knew these characters, this family. The author tells the story mainly through the voice of the sister of the accused priest and how each member of the family handles the allegations as the story unfolds. There are discoveries uncovered, truths revealed and challenges to the core of their beliefs in religion, faith, family loyalty and love. We have all read the headlines, stories told, secrets whispered and what we really don't know is the truth. Who are we to judge when we don't know the truth on both sides? This novel brilliantly explores these issues and will make you question your own self on how easy we can judge others, even our own family members. Faith by Jennifer Haigh is a family drama that is well-crafted, thoughtful and infused with emotions, secrets, regrets, sadness, love and forgiveness. This book is a page turner, one that will touch you deeply and you will think about these characters and this family long after you turn the last page.

Recommend: Absolutely! I've read only one other book by Jennifer Haigh, Mrs. Kimble. Ms. Haigh has perfected her writing with Faith and could easily be her best novel yet. This would be an excellent book for a book club discussion. There are so many themes and topics to discuss. There is a reading guide for Faith, here. You can read and browse inside Faith, here. You can visit Jennifer Haigh's website, here.

Listen to Jennifer Haigh talk about her novel Faith with Writer's Voice, here.

Thanks to Harper Collins for sending me an advance copy of the book for review.

Here is a book trailer to view for Faith by Jennifer Haigh:

Shelf Awareness for Readers Giveaway

2011-07-19T07:36:00.000-04:00

The publication booksellers turn to for news on the book industry is now publishing a version for book lovers! Shelf Awareness: Enlightenment for Readers is a FREE emailed newsletter with reviews on the 25 best books publishing each week along with author interviews, book excerpts, giveaways and more. Right now they’re running a contest for new subscribers. Check out the widget on my website below to sign up for the new publication and to be entered for a chance to win a great book!

Mailbox Monday

2011-07-18T00:01:00.010-04:00

(Photo credit from Staci at Life in the Thumb)

~Mailbox Monday~
is hosted by A Sea of Books during the month of July.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Reef by Romash Gunesekera autographed Literary Blog Hop win from Chasing Bawa. Thanks Sakura.

Unraveled by Maggie Sefton, win from Pudgy Penguin Perusals. Thanks Kaye!

The Winters In Bloom by Lisa Tucker from Atrias's Galley Alley promotion with Simon & Schuster.

The Sunday Salon: Review of The Food Allergy Cookbook by Carmel Nelson and Amra Ibrisimovic

2011-07-17T19:38:00.000-04:00

The Food Allergy Book

A Guide to Living with Allergies and Entertaining with Healthy, Delicious Meals

By Carmel Nelson and Amra Ibrisimovic

Skyhorse Publishing Hardcover

On Sale: July 2011

ISBN: 978-1-61608-297-0

Price: $17.95

PREPARING ALLERGEN-FREE MOUTH-WATERING MEALS WITHOUT THE STRESS? NO BIG DEAL!

THE FOOD ALLERGY COOKBOOK

A Guide to Living with Allergies

and Entertaining with Healthy, Delicious Meals

By Carmel Nelson and Amra Ibrisimovic

Are you turning down social gatherings that revolve around food? Skipping lunch with your co-workers to avoid an awkward explanation? Deserting the dinner table on holidays so you don’t have to reject Aunt Sally’s home-cooked meal? . . . Or are you the one playing host to your friends, some of whom may have food allergies? The husband who lit all the candles, and turned up the Barry White, but doesn’t know exactly what’s safe to cook for a romantic dinner? For all of you, here is your resource to make alternative dining easy and understandable!

Don’t let restricted options consume the joys of cooking! Say “NO!” to cardboard-flavored daily sustenance and brick-hard bread that would be more useful in constructing a house than actually eating. If you or someone you love has food allergies but is passionate about the culinary arts, this is the book for you! The Food Allergy Cookbookcontains 101 delectable recipes tested to perfection. Each and every recipe is accompanied by an irresistible, full-length and in color photograph that will make you salivate before even whipping up the treat!

The joint authors, Carmel Nelson and Amra Ibrisimovic, are among the millions of people struggling with food allergies. Over the years, their friendship has fostered support for one another as they discover new ways to live and eat enjoyably. They were disappointed by the lack of resources available on food allergies when they needed it the most, only a few years ago. Now that they are both in the know, they want to share their knowledge with you!

The Food Allergy Cookbook caters to those with dairy, wheat, oats, barley, soy, and corn allergies. It shows that you don’t have to give up your favorites, just alter them! It even comes with a special recipe for a flour mixture to do just that. There are every-day recipes plus entire meal plans for holidays so you don’t have to forfeit entertaining or being a guest. Instead, prepare a to-die-for meal that everyone will love! Don’t be surprised if they ask for the recipe!

Recipes include:

BBQ dishes such as Chicken Legs and Sloppy Joes
Savory Stuffed Peppers for the Vegetarian or Bosnian Style
Comforting classics like Chicken Soup with Dumplings and Chicken Pot Pie
A full-course Thanksgiving meal consisting of Roasted Turkey with Gravy, a unique Holiday Stuffing, warm Harvest Soup, Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potato Puree, and for dessert—Pumpkin Pie!
Sweets for the adventurous eaters—Grand Marnier Cranberry Muffins and Apple Pear Quinoa Crisp—but also the staples— rich Fudge Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Bread Sticks and corn-free Korn Bread
And many more!

But The Food Allergy Cookbook is not merely a cookbook! It also serves up a list of restaurants with alternative menus, tips on working with your doctor and traveling safely, a lesson on deciphering food labels, and tons of helpful resources. Carmel and Amra will help you concoct healthy and flavorful recipes that finally prove…it IS possible to easily serve, eat and enjoy allergen-free fare. Now go play in the kitchen!

About the Authors:

CARMEL NELSON has worked as a substance abuse counselor and mental health therapist. She has been published in Living Without and Alaska Wellness magazines.

AMRA IBRISIMOVIC is a project manager and computer engineer. She emigrated from Bosnia during their civil war and became a U.S. citizen in 2000.

My Thoughts:

I always enjoy getting new cookbooks and often like to try new allergy cookbooks as my son has food allergies. The Food Allergy Cookbook is written by two authors, Carmel & Amra who both have food allergies and intolerances. They developed these allergies as adults and share their stories in the first chapter. The Food Allergy Cookbook has many things going for it, it has bright and beautiful pictures that accompany every recipe which I appreciated. For me, a cookbook with lots of pictures is a plus as I like to see what the recipe will look like. Another thing that is important to me in a cookbook is a Table of Contents which this cookbook includes as well as chapters that focus on recipes for Holiday Menus, Soups, Appetizers, Salads and Side Dishes, Entrees and Pastries and Desserts. Each chapter also has an index with page numbers corresponding to each recipe. I liked the organization and flow of this cookbook. There are a variety of recipes and most are not overly complicated. The desserts require more ingredients and steps which is typical for home baked desserts. The authors focus on those with dairy, wheat, oats, barley, soy and corn allergies. My son has dairy intolerance and soy allergies so most of these recipes I could make without adaptations. The authors have their own recipe for a Flour mixture that is a substitute for wheat flour and gluten free so this would be a good cookbook for those with gluten intolerance or celiac as well. It's important to check through each recipe to make sure that it is safe for those you are serving with allergies. I chose to try the Quirky Coleslaw recipe as I had many of the ingredients on hand. I did not add the optional chopped nuts due to my son's allergies.

Quirky Coleslaw

Salad:

1 Bag Shredded Cabbage/ or shred 1 head of Cabbage finely

(I used a bag of Coleslaw mix with shredded cabbage, carrots, red cabbage)

1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, pineapple, cranberries, currants, etc)

(I used a small box of raisins and small 1 oz bag craisins)

1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped (optional)

(I skipped nuts as my son is allergic to nuts)

Dressing:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon Vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds

(I didn't have poppy seeds so I substituted caraway seeds)

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

(I didn't have this so I added salt)

1. Mix together salad ingredients.

2. Whip together dressing and blend with salad until everything is evenly coated with dressing.

3. Serve Cold.

Serves 8-10

* I made some substitutions that worked nicely. I think that this may taste better with poppy seed as caraway seeds are a bit larger and more dominant tasting. My husband and I liked this but my son did not care for it. He didn't like the dried fruit in the coleslaw or the caraway seeds. I think that it's more of a personal preference than that the dish didn't work. I love carrot and raisin salad and this reminded me of that dish. I would make this again and use poppy seeds instead. This would make a nice cold summer salad to accompany any meal.

Would I recommend this cookbook? Yes! I found it had a variety of practical menus that families with or without allergies could make as well as holiday menus and a variety of simple to more complex recipes to choose from. I liked the color and photography and that there were pictures of the recipes throughout the book, it was also easy to find recipes. I liked the Hot tips, scattered throughout the cookbook intermixed with the recipes. There was some good advice for Kitchen tips, Doctors and medical tips and traveling while eating out. Some of it was a bit basic for me as I have been dealing with food allergies since my son was a year old but I did learn some new ideas for traveling. Also, the price is reasonable for a hardback cookbook with over 100 recipes to choose from.

Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing for sending me a copy of The Food Allergy Cookbook for review.

Winner of Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington....

2011-07-16T10:36:00.000-04:00

Amy (ArtsyBookishGal) from Backseat Reader

Thanks to the publisher Viking/Penguin for sponsoring this giveaway.

Thanks to all who entered! Check my sidebar on the left

to enter more giveaways!