Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Book Review - Bridge 108 by Anne Charnock + Giveaway


Photo Credit - Amazon


In the late twenty-first century, drought and wildfires ravage southern Europe causing residents to flee. When twelve-year-old Caleb and his mother make the journey north, he becomes separated from her and falls victim to human traffickers. He becomes enslaved in an enclave outside Manchester but, he uses the opportunity to improve his situation. Even when his situation looks dire, Caleb never loses hope.

Caleb meets another victim of trafficking and together they look for better opportunities. He hides in the woods and searches for a new place to call home. As Caleb searches for his path, he realizes he can't trust anyone because he might end up in a perilous situation. 

I enjoyed reading this novel as the writing flowed smoothly. The book grabbed my attention and kept it until the end. I enjoyed reading about Caleb and his adventures in finding a place to belong. I liked that the author included different points of view in the book but, I felt like some characters should have been included. I would have liked to have read about his friend in the enclave roof next door and her motivations. The book was fast-paced but, lacked a bit of world-building. The author mentioned a few things in passing but, I wanted to know more about the tech or the political landscape. I felt like this book would be a great introductory novel into an awesome series about a new "world".

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**




Print Length: 195 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1542006082
Publisher: 47North (February 18, 2020)
Publication Date: February 18, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07PLHGMQN


Praise for BRIDGE 108

“Readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories with hopeful messages will be gratified by this topical tale of human resourcefulness in the face of climate disaster.” —Publishers Weekly

A dystopian novel set in the climate-ravaged Europe of A Calculated Life. Told through multiple voices against the backdrop of a haunting and frighteningly believable future, Bridge 108 charts the passage of a young boy into adulthood amid oppressive circumstances that are increasingly relevant to our present day.


From the Arthur C. Clarke Award–winning author, a dystopian novel of oppression set in the climate-ravaged Europe of A Calculated Life, a finalist for the Kitschies award and Philip K. Dick Award.

Late in the twenty-first century, drought and wildfires prompt an exodus from southern Europe. When twelve-year-old Caleb is separated from his mother during their trek north, he soon falls prey to traffickers. Enslaved in an enclave outside Manchester, the resourceful and determined Caleb never loses hope of bettering himself.

After Caleb is befriended by a fellow victim of trafficking, another road opens. Hiding in the woodlands by day, guided by the stars at night, he begins a new journey—to escape to a better life, to meet someone he can trust, and to find his family. For Caleb, only one thing is certain: making his way in the world will be far more difficult than his mother imagined.

Told through multiple voices and set against the backdrop of a haunting and frighteningly believable future, Bridge 108 charts the passage of a young boy into adulthood amid oppressive circumstances that are increasingly relevant to our present day.

You can purchase Bridge 108 at the following Retailers:
        

Photo Content from Anne Charnock

Anne Charnock's latest novel, DREAMS BEFORE THE START OF TIME, is the winner of the 2018 Arthur C. Clarke Award, and was shortlisted for the BSFA 2017 Best Novel Award. Her novella THE ENCLAVE has won the BSFA 2017 Best Short Fiction Award. This novella is written in the same world as her debut novel, A CALCULATED LIFE, which was a finalist for the 2013 Philip K. Dick and The Kitschies Golden Tentacle Awards.

SLEEPING EMBERS OF AN ORDINARY MIND, her second novel, was named by The Guardian as one of the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2015

Anne Charnock's journalism has appeared in New Scientist, The Guardian, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune and Geographical. She was educated at the University of East Anglia, where she studied Environmental Sciences, and at The Manchester School of Art, England where she gained a Masters in Fine Art.

As a foreign correspondent, she travelled widely in Africa, the Middle East and India and spent a year overlanding through Egypt, Sudan and Kenya.

        
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Thursday, June 6, 2019

Book Review - Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Prince and his fellow fairies have otherworldy charm and beauty. They roam the Earth for centuries looking for entertainment to pass the time. When they meet foster siblings Josh and Ksenia, Prince will stop at nothing to have them as his playthings. Josh and Ksenia have a strong bond with each other and love each other until the end of the world.

When the siblings become seduced and trapped by the fairies, they realize the gifts they received come at a terrible price. If they want to escape Prince's prison, they have to risk everything they love to reclaim their freedom. Will Ksenia and Josh be able to escape Prince's evil clutches?

I thought the novel has an interesting premise but, it was a confusing read. I felt like it had a lot going on especially with the long descriptive sentences. I found Ksenia and Josh's relationship to be confusing and a bit far fetched. They acted like young adults who love each other but, fail to understand that loving someone means doing the best for them. The novel felt a bit slow but, some parts of the fairy storyline was interesting. I found them to be imaginative and creepy.


 **Disclosure - I received a free  copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**



Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen (March 19, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765396734
ISBN-13: 978-0765396730


Praise for NEVER-CONTENTED THINGS

“Sarah Porter is a genius. Her language is lush and dangerous, and her books burn with the beautiful, ferocious intensity of a bonfire in the darkest night. Read Never-Contented Things with the lights on. Then read it again.” ―Brittany Cavallaro, New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Charlotte

“Sarah Porter’s Never-Contented Things creates a creepy new world like none I’ve seen before. Eerie, edgy, and filled with mystery, Porter takes us to the depths of the magical and psychological.” ―Danielle Paige, New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die

Praise for WHEN I CAST YOUR SHADOW

“You’ll never think of your nightmares the same way again. Darkly seductive. Sarah Porter’s writing glitters and her storytelling stuns in this twisted tale of siblings, love, and death.” —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of CARAVAL

“Sarah Porter’s darkly imaginative WHEN I CAST YOUR SHADOW intrigues from the start. Tragic and engrossing, filled with nightmarish dreamscapes and menacing villains, it also treads the tender terrain of family, and the strange and sometimes dysfunctional ties between siblings. Highly recommended!”  —Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of THREE DARK CROWNS


Seductive. Cruel. Bored.
Be wary of…


Prince and his fairy courtiers are staggeringly beautiful, unrelentingly cruel, and exhausted by the tedium of the centuries ― until they meet foster-siblings Josh and Ksenia. Drawn in by their vivid emotions, undying love for each other, and passion for life, Prince will stop at nothing to possess them.

First seduced and then entrapped by the fairies, Josh and Ksenia learn that the fairies' otherworldly gifts come at a terrible price ― and they must risk everything in order to reclaim their freedom.


You can purchase Never-Contented Things at the following Retailers:
        

Photo Content from Sarah Porter

SARAH PORTER is the author of the Lost Voices Trilogy (Lost Voices, Waking Storms, The Twice Lost) in addition to Vassa in the Night—all for the teen audience. For over ten years she has taught creative writing workshops in New York City public schools to students in grades K-10. Porter also works as a VJ, both solo and with the art collective Fort/Da; she has played venues including Roseland, Galapagos, Tonic, Joe’s Pub, The Hammerstein Ballroom, The Nokia Theater, and the Burning Man festival. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two cats.

        
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Saturday, March 3, 2018

Book Review - Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano + Giveaway

Photo Source - Amazon
Rachel Bishop is renowned James Beard award winning chef who owns and is the head chef of fine dining restaurant. Things look like they are going her way when she suddenly become a target of a smear campaign, which causes her to be bought out by her business partners. Suddenly, Rachel loses the only thing she knows and she will stop at nothing to get her life back even if she has to enlist the help of the journalist who set the whole thing in motion. 

When Alex pens the opinionated piece, he never realized it was going to end up viral. He was only hoping to revive his own career and not destroying Rachel's career. They both realize they will have to work together on creating a memorable Saturday Night Supper Club, if they can generate enough positive buzz for Rachel. Will Rachel be able to work withe man who destroyed her life? Will their idea be enough to help Rachel?

I found this book rather enjoyable. I love the strong, supportive female friendships along with the quirky brother and sister dynamic. I also found the love dynamic between Rachel and Alex fun and lighthearted. However, I found some of the things Rachel did cause me to be disappointed in her. For a strong woman, who always had a plan in play, I found how she got herself in hot water could have been prevented. The ending was understandable, but it still left me a bit disappointed as I wanted a completely different outcome for Rachel. However, this was a good read, especially for those in the foodie scene.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**


About the Book

Title: The Saturday Night Supper Club

Author: Carla Laureano
Genre: Christian fiction/romance fiction

Release Date: February 6, 2018
Denver chef Rachel Bishop has accomplished everything she’s dreamed and some things she never dared hope, like winning a James Beard Award and heading up her own fine-dining restaurant. But when a targeted smear campaign causes her to be pushed out of the business by her partners, she vows to do whatever it takes to get her life back . . . even if that means joining forces with the man who inadvertently set the disaster in motion.
Essayist Alex Kanin never imagined his pointed editorial would go viral. Ironically, his attempt to highlight the pitfalls of online criticism has the opposite effect: it revives his own flagging career by destroying that of a perfect stranger. Plagued by guilt-fueled writer’s block, Alex vows to do whatever he can to repair the damage. He just doesn’t…

About the Author

pic_LGb_Laureano_Carla
Carla Laureano is the RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Carla is giving away a grand prize of a $200 Visa Card for the winner and a friend to attend a cooking class!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c9b4

Monday, February 1, 2016

Book Review - The Best and Lightest: 150 Healthy Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner by Editors of Food Network Magazine

Photo Source - Amazon
Food Lovers Rejoice! No longer do you have to sacrifice taste when cooking healthy. As a longtime fan of Food Network, I couldn't wait to get my grubby (hopefully, I can lose some of my baby fat -- you know the fat I had for 30 years now :}) hands on this cookbook.

If you read the Food Network magazine, the cookbook has a similar layout. The book is divide by categories such as sandwiches, poultry, meat, seafood, eggs, pasta, side sides, sweets, and etc. Each of 150 recipes is accompanied by full color photos along with nutritional facts. In between each chapter is little mini recipes for quick snacks like eggplant chips, pesto-tomato crostini,  corn-bacon guacamole, and etc.

**Disclosure - I received an copy of this book in exchange for honest opinion.**

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Blue Apron Delivery - August 21st, 2015


Tandoori - Spiced Chicken


















The first dish I tried from this delivery was the tandoori - spiced chicken. It was delicious and super easy to make. My own qualm is that most of the dishes rely a lot on the seasoning with mostly salt and pepper like every other step. The tandoori chicken was delicious but they have a bit too much of lentil for my liking. 

Seared Cod & Fregola Sarda
















This was delicious but I found the green beans weird combination. As noted below, my beans had moss and I had to throw away some of it. The pasta was an okay choice would have prefer couscous as a better option. I added some crushed garlic to the final product as it lacked a bit taste and depth.


Seared Pork Chops and Kamut






















I can't eat pork but my boyfriend found the dish to be okay. He did like the use of the stone fruit as it added a nice complexity to this dish. The corn side dish was delicious and made a great side dish for other dinner entrees in the future.


As a note, my delivery was for Friday but I cooked my meals on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but I noticed most of my food were showing spoilage. The greenery items started to wilt noticeably and my green beans had white moss on Monday. Some of the veggies also came blemished and visibly wilted. The expiration date on the meat was within 5 - 7 days of delivery. The fish had no expiration or labeling.  As the cheaper of the food delivery programs, I was looking forward to the delivery but was disappointment by a) the seasonings & taste b) the food quality and condition c) the combinations are interesting but lack intrigue.