The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking (Cookbook Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Paleo goes slow in this cookbook inspired by global cuisine.
In The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking, well-respected and widely read paleo blogger Natalie Perry focuses mostly on main courses for dinner, but there are breakfast, lunch, snack, and sweets/desserts ideas as well. The more than 200 recipes in the book include appetizers and snacks, soups and chilis, poultry, beef, pork and lamb, fish and seafood, vegetable sides, desserts, and pantry basics. The recipes are creative and new incorporating global flavors with roots in Asian, Latin, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Most of these recipes have never before appeared in print.

My thoughts-

I haven't been using my slow cooker much since I got my Instant Pot, but with fall approaching there is something so comforting about having food cook all day and the wonderful aroma that builds up. We are always trying to eat more healthy, and Paleo recipes fit into that very well. There are a good range of recipes in The Book of Paleo Slow Cooking. My favorite section was the dessert section. There are so many wonderful desserts to choose from and they are not as unhealthy as traditional desserts which I like. My absolute favorite thing about the cookbook though are the diverse recipes. My husband and I like to eat a variety of foods from a variety of cultures, and it is nice that I have several different cuisine types to choose from in one book. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys using a slow cooker.

The Border by Steve Schafer (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book:

One moment changed their lives forever.
A band plays, glasses clink, and four teens sneak into the Mexican desert, the hum of celebration receding behind them.

Crack. Crack. Crack.
Not fireworks—gunshots. The music stops. And Pato, Arbo, Marcos, and Gladys are powerless as the lives they once knew are taken from them.
Then they are seen by the gunmen. They run. Except they have nowhere to go. The narcos responsible for their families' murders have put out a reward for the teens' capture. Staying in Mexico is certain death, but attempting to cross the border through an unforgiving desert may be as deadly as the secrets they are trying to escape...

My thoughts:

I have never read a book that was anything like The Border. This is a story I think needed to be told because I don't think people realize how difficult life in other countries can be and why someone might chose to cross the border into America illegally. You feel sympathetic for these characters from the beginning and I was rooting for them the whole time. The story did feel a little slow in places, but where it didn't it was intense and interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction.

The Story Cure by Dinty W. Moore (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging For Books. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions started are 100% my own.

About the book-

A collection of cures for writer's block, plotting and characterization issues, and other ailments writers face when completing a novel or memoir, prescribed by the director of creative writing at Ohio University.
People want to write the book they know is inside of them, but they run into stumbling blocks that trouble everyone from beginners to seasoned writers. Drawing on his years of teaching at both the university level and at writing workshops across the country, Professor Dinty W. Moore dons his book-doctor hat to present an authoritative guide to curing the issues that truly plague writers at
all levels. His hard-hitting handbook provides inspiring solutions for diagnoses such as character anemia, flat plot, and silent voice, and is peppered with flashes of Moore's signature wit and unique take on the writing life.

My thoughts-

I have been trying to write a novel for the past couple of years and getting a full length novel out of your head and on to paper is not at all as easy as it may sound. The Story Cure is a comprehensive overview of problems you can run into while getting your work onto paper and a solution for each problem presented. I like the breakdown of the book so if I am having a particular struggle, I can flip right to the page that discusses it, and easily apply the solution to my work. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in writing a book.

Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in Exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions started are 100% my own. 

About the book-

The Instant Pot® Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook -- an authorized Instant Pot® cookbook -- will help you feel comfortable using all the convenient features of your Instant Pot®, from cooking fluffy rice and pressure cooking root vegetables, to making homemade yogurt and slow cooking meats, and features more than 75 delicious, family-friendly recipes, including:

-Spinach and Herb Lasagna
-Balsamic Beef Short Ribs
-Pulled Pork Sandwiches
-Vegetable Green Thai Curry
-Spice-Rubbed Cauliflower Steaks
-Bone Broth with Fresh Ginger
-Crème Brûlée
-Double Chocolate Cheesecake

From healthy breakfasts and sides, to scrumptious mains and decadent desserts, these low-maintenance recipes will help you get a meal on the table in a fraction of the time of conventional cooking methods.
With easy-to-follow instructions and full-color photos throughout, discover all that your Instant Pot® can achieve with this go-to pressure cooking cookbook.

My thoughts-

My husband got me an Instant Pot back in January for my birthday and I absolutely love it. There is something so magical about this particular pressure cooker. I always love coming across pressure cooker cookbooks and it is particularly exciting when they are brand specific to Instant Pot so you know the exact buttons to push. There was a great introduction for newbies about how to use the Instant Pot and then there are tons of great recipes following that. You could essential use your IP for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert if you really wanted to! There are a great variety of recipes, new ones I haven't seen elsewhere, and I look forward to trying out many of them!

Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Beatrice does her best thinking upside down.Hanging from trees by her knees, doing handstands . . . for Beatrice Zinker, upside down works every time. She was definitely upside down when she and her best friend, Lenny, agreed to wear matching ninja suits on the first day of third grade. But when Beatrice shows up at school dressed in black, Lenny arrives with a cool new outfit and a cool new friend. Even worse, she seems to have forgotten all about the top-secret operation they planned!

Can Beatrice use her topsy-turvy way of thinking to save the mission, mend their friendship, and flip things sunny-side up?

My thoughts-

When I read the description to this book (after it caught my eye with that beyond adorable cover!) it reminded me so much of my 10 year old daughter. She feels so out of place within our family, at school, everywhere. She feels like she is the only one like her. I try to tell her that is a positive thing and books like Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker help echo that sentiment. This is a good book for older elementary age kids, particularly those who feel like they don't belong or are different than everyone else. 

Actually. Best. Jokes. Ever. By Chantelle Grace (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

What do librarians take with them when they go fishing?
Bookworms.
What did the Dalmatian say after eating dinner?
Yum, that hit the spot.
The next time your young comedian is looking to serve up priceless entertainment, share Actually. Best. Jokes. Ever. Get ready for sidesplitting hilarity and ridiculous giggle attacks, because these jokes don’t quit!
If you think you have heard every joke in the book, think again. Actually. Best. Jokes. Ever. is sure to have you throwing your head back and laughing out loud... no, actually!

My thoughts- 

I gave this book to my 7 year old son who is obsessed with jokes right now. He couldn't get enough. He was interrupting me every 2 minutes (if even that long) to tell me a joke he thought was funny in the book, and I agree there were some good ones to be found here! He read Actually. Best. Jokes. Ever in one sitting and as he finished up I asked him if he enjoyed the book and he replied with a very loud yes! I would recommend this book to any younger elementary aged kid!

Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

A brave midwife. A wounded pilot. A risky secret.

In the midst of World War II, Ireland has declared herself neutral. Troops found on Irish soil must be reported and interned, no matter which side they are fighting for. When midwife Nan O'Neil finds a wounded young Canadian pilot at her door, she knows she's taking a huge risk by letting him in. Not only is she a widow living alone, but if caught harboring a combatant, she'll face imprisonment.

Still, something compels Nan to take in "flyboy" Dutch Whitney, an RAF pilot whose bomber has just crashed over County Clare. While she tends to his wounds and gives him a secret place of refuge, the two begin to form a mutual affection-and an unbreakable bond.

But Nan has another secret, one that has racked her with guilt since her husband's death and made her question ever loving again. As Nan and Dutch plan his escape, can he help restore her faith?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

My thoughts- 

I love reading books set in the WWII era. I don't know what it is about that time that draws me in, but I especially loves the stories of brave women who risked their lives to make sure others were safe. I haven't ever read any WWII fiction set in Ireland so this was a new piece of the war for me. I found it fascinating to imagine myself in Nan's shoes and how I would have responded if I were the one with a pilot on my doorstep. I enjoyed seeing the relationship grow between Nan and Dutch as the story progressed and Nan processing her feelings about her husband's death and what happened to him.  I think anyone who likes WWII fiction would enjoy Grounded Hearts. 

The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooker by Natalie Perry (Cookbook Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

In The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking, well-respected and widely read paleo blogger Natalie Perry focuses mostly on main courses for dinner, but there are breakfast, lunch, snack, and sweets/desserts ideas as well. The more than 200 recipes in the book include appetizers and snacks, soups and chilis, poultry, beef, pork and lamb, fish and seafood, vegetable sides, desserts, and pantry basics. The recipes are creative and new incorporating global flavors with roots in Asian, Latin, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Most of these recipes have never before appeared in print.

My thoughts-

I love cookbooks and having lots of options to reach for to keep a wide variety of healthy foods rotating through my kitchen on our daily menus. Slow cooker cookbooks are always nice because I love throwing something together in the morning and not having to worry about it as my day gets busy. I also love smelling the great aroma that only slow cooked food can produce. The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking is great because it offers a variety of different foods from different places. I love  Middle Eastern food, and food with Asian and Latin influences, and they are all present here. There are also some fantastic appetizer recipes to be found. This is a cookbook you could reach for over and over and still have a wide variety of food represented in your meals. I highly recommend The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking to anyone looking to make more home cooked meals, but who prefer the convenience of slow cooking.