The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook by Kelly Jaggers

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

About the book-

300 easy, healthy Mediterranean recipes for the most popular kitchen appliance—the Instant Pot—perfect for anyone following the Mediterranean diet!

The Mediterranean diet is celebrated all over the world for its fresh and healthy ingredients, vibrant flavors, and complex recipes. Following this diet can help you reduce inflammation, avoid disease, and lose weight, making it popular for anyone looking to live a healthier lifestyle.

The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook shows you how to recreate classic Mediterranean meals in under an hour using the much-loved multi-cooker, the Instant Pot. With more than 300 recipes for delicious meals, snacks, and even desserts, you’ll have everything you need to create healthy, fresh, and fast meals every day of the week.

My thoughts-

The Mediterranean diet is arguably one of the best- if not the actual best- diets in existence. There is a huge focus on vegetables and fresh ingredients. The best thing about the Mediterranean diet is the delicious meals you can make and still eat in a way that is good for your body. If you have been around this blog for a while you will know I adore my Instant Pot. It is one of my most frequently used kitchen tools and I have several cookbooks devoted to this awesome little cooker. I book marked so many recipes in this book that I absolutely can not wait to try. The dessert section at the end made me happy because there were several delicious sounding desserts that were fruit based and used natural sweeteners to make them more healthy.  There are so many recipes included here that there is definitely something for everyone! My absolute favorite find in this book is a Greek lemon chicken soup called Avgolemono. My local Greek restaurant serves this soup and it is one of my favorite things on the menu and I am excited to be able to make it at home! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys eating healthy! 

You Matter. By Matthew Emerzian

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

About the book-

You matter. Not because of what you earn or how you look or what you’ve achieved, but because you are inherently valuable. Author Matthew Emerzian takes this seemingly simple premise and shows readers how truly understanding their own worth will change every aspect of their lives. You Matter is a call to empathy and a joyous celebration of the value of each and every person.

The book is structured into three sections, each of which expands the concept in ever widening ripples. In the first section, “I Matter,” readers come to terms with their own worth, in “You Matter” that awareness expands to acknowledge and celebrate the value of the people around us, and finally in “We Matter” Emerzian explores the power of a thriving community with those around us. Each chapter features exercises, journal prompts, and conversation starters to help readers dive deeper.

Author Matt Emerzian is the founder of Every Monday Matters, a not-for-profit dedicated to spreading the message of self-worth and compassion to people throughout the world. Every week 1.2 million people—from elementary school children to employees at national corporations—engage with ideas and concepts from Every Monday Matters.

My thoughts-

Self help books are hit or miss for me. I either find them incredibly dull or deeply engaging. This is the first self help book I have read in a while that I couldn't put down. I love the positive vibes throughout the book about how to make your mark in this world by doing what you can because you matter! Part memoir- I enjoyed the bits about the author's life- both about people have helped him in some way or people he has helped in some way, and it seems like these meetings always seem to end into friendships. Mr. Emerzian shows us through various stories of his how we can make differences in small ways by something as simple as striking up a conversation with a stranger in a Starbucks, as well as to search within ourselves for what comes naturally to us and use that to contribute to the world. I absolutely love the message behind this book. I recommend it to anyone trying to find their place in this world. 

Postscript by Cecelia Ahern

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

About the book-

Seven years after her husband's death -- six since she read his final letter -- Holly Kennedy has moved on with her life. When Holly's sister asks her to tell the story of the "PS, I Love You" letters on her podcast -- to revisit the messages Gerry wrote before his death to read after his passing -- she does so reluctantly, not wanting to reopen old wounds.

But after the episode airs, people start reaching out to Holly, and they all have one thing in common: they're terminally ill and want to leave their own missives behind for loved ones. Suddenly, Holly finds herself drawn back into a world she's worked tirelessly to leave behind -- but one that leads her on another incredible, life-affirming journey.

My thoughts-

I had no idea that Cecelia Ahern was writing a sequel to P.S. I Love You until I saw it online. I was so excited and couldn't wait to read it! It was so good. It has the same heart and soul as the original and allowed us the chance to get to know Holly again seven years after she lost Gerry. There is also plenty of Gerry in this book, even some peeks into their early relationship that we didn't get in the first book which was wonderful! Postscript is both heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I absolutely loved it and read it quickly since I couldn't put it down. The journey Holly finds herself on is an interesting one and if you loved the first book you will most definitely love Postscript. 

Seperation Anxiety by Laura Zigman

*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-

Judy never intended to start wearing the dog. But when she stumbled across her son Teddy’s old baby sling during a halfhearted basement cleaning, something in her snapped. So: the dog went into the sling, Judy felt connected to another living being, and she’s repeated the process every day since.

Life hasn’t gone according to Judy’s plan. Her career as a children’s book author offered a glimpse of success before taking an embarrassing nose dive. Teddy, now a teenager, treats her with some combination of mortification and indifference. Her best friend is dying. And her husband, Gary, has become a pot-addled professional “snackologist” who she can’t afford to divorce. On top of it all, she has a painfully ironic job writing articles for a self-help website—a poor fit for someone seemingly incapable of helping herself.

Wickedly funny and surprisingly tender, Separation Anxiety offers a frank portrait of middle-aged limbo, examining the ebb and flow of life’s most important relationships. Tapping into the insecurities and anxieties that most of us keep under wraps, and with a voice that is at once gleefully irreverent and genuinely touching, Laura Zigman has crafted a new classic for anyone taking fumbling steps toward happiness.

my thoughts-

I listened to an audio snippet of the first chapter of this book and knew I had to read the whole thing. I kind of wish there was an advanced audio copy because this would have been a fantastic book on audio and that is coming from someone who usually doesn't like fiction on audio. I am at a time in my life where my anxiety levels are extremely high and for me, humor and laughter get me through a lot, so this kind of exaggerated account not only brought out the humor for me but was actually semi-relatable on some level. There were many funny scenarios throughout the book but my favorite came at the end at the dog park. I thought in the end that this dysfunctional book was even a bit heartwarming. I recommend this book If you like a good laugh.

The Light After the War by Anita Abriel

*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-

Inspired by an incredible true story of two Jewish friends who survived the Holocaust, this sweeping novel of love and friendship spans World War II from Budapest to Austria and the postwar years from Naples to Caracas, perfect for fans of The German Girl and We Were the Lucky Ones.

It is 1946 when Vera Frankel and her best friend Edith Ban arrive in Naples. Refugees from Hungary, they managed to escape from a train headed for Auschwitz and spent the rest of the war hiding on an Austrian farm. Now, the two young women must start new lives abroad. Armed with a letter of recommendation from an American officer, Vera finds work at the United States embassy where she falls in love with Captain Anton Wight.

But as Vera and Edith grapple with the aftermath of the war, so too does Anton, and when he suddenly disappears, Vera is forced to change course. Their quest for a better life takes Vera and Edith from Naples to Ellis Island to Caracas as they start careers, reunite with old friends, and rebuild their lives after terrible loss.

My thoughts-

It has been a while since I have read a historical fiction novel, and it makes sense that I would jump back in with my go-to sub-genre of WWII Fiction. This one is different than many of the others I have read because it is about survivors after the war, and they travel to several different places trying to escape their past and start anew. I have two best friends and I can't imagine going through anything like the characters in this novel did, but I know that if I had my two closest friends on Earth with me, I would be able to get through it somehow and it is the same for Edith and Vera, who have been through way more than anyone should by the time they reach the end of their teens. This is an emotionally heavy book, but a page turner for sure. There are some glimmers of light in the end, but your heart will definitely be broken for both Edith and Vera several times over before you get there. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, WWII fiction, or stories of redemption.

Hill Country by Cassie Chambers

*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-

Nestled in the Appalachian mountains, Owsley County is one of the poorest counties in both Kentucky and the country. Buildings are crumbling and fields sit vacant, as tobacco farming and coal mining decline. But strong women are finding creative ways to subsist in their hollers in the hills.

Cassie Chambers grew up in these hollers and, through the women who raised her, she traces her own path out of and back into the Kentucky mountains. Chambers’s Granny was a child bride who rose before dawn every morning to raise seven children. Despite her poverty, she wouldn’t hesitate to give the last bite of pie or vegetables from her garden to a struggling neighbor. Her two daughters took very different paths: strong-willed Ruth—the hardest-working tobacco farmer in the county—stayed on the family farm, while spirited Wilma—the sixth child—became the first in the family to graduate from high school, then moved an hour away for college. Married at nineteen and pregnant with Cassie a few months later, Wilma beat the odds to finish school. She raised her daughter to think she could move mountains, like the ones that kept her safe but also isolated her from the larger world.

Cassie would spend much of her childhood with Granny and Ruth in the hills of Owsley County, both while Wilma was in college and after. With her “hill women” values guiding her, Cassie went on to graduate from Harvard Law. But while the Ivy League gave her knowledge and opportunities, its privileged world felt far from her reality, and she moved back home to help her fellow rural Kentucky women by providing free legal services.

Appalachian women face issues that are all too common: domestic violence, the opioid crisis, a world that seems more divided by the day. But they are also community leaders, keeping their towns together in the face of a system that continually fails them. With nuance and heart, Chambers uses these women’s stories paired with her own journey to break down the myth of the hillbilly and illuminate a region whose poor communities, especially women, can lead it into the future.

My thoughts-

I thought that this memoir sounded interesting. I have never met anyone from the Appalachian mountains and I have never been to the area, but I love learning about new people and different cultures so I was excited to learn about the Appalachian people and Cassie Chambers' family. This was definitely an interesting read. I found myself interested from the very beginning of the book. The author has a great writing style an interesting family story to tell. I enjoyed reading about her family, her mom and her Aunt Ruth in particular seem to be the strong women she modeled herself after. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys memoirs or who finds people and geographic areas different what they are used to interesting to learn about. 

The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000's by Andy Greene

*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-

When did you last hang out with Jim, Pam, Dwight, Michael, and the rest of Dunder Mifflin? It might have been back in 2013, when the series finale aired . . . or it might have been last night, when you watched three episodes in a row. But either way, fifteen years after the show first aired, it’s more popular than ever, and fans have only one problem--what to watch, or read, next.
 
Fortunately, Rolling Stone writer Andy Greene has that answer. In his brand-new oral history, The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s, Greene will take readers behind the scenes of their favorite moments and characters. Greene gives us the true inside story behind the entire show, from its origins on the BBC through its impressive nine-season run in America, with in-depth research and exclusive interviews. Fans will get the inside scoop on key episodes from "The Dundies" to "Threat Level Midnight" and "Goodbye, Michael," including behind-the-scenes details like the battle to keep it on the air when NBC wanted to pull the plug after just six episodes and the failed attempt to bring in James Gandolfini as the new boss after Steve Carell left, spotlighting the incredible, genre-redefining show created by the family-like team, who together took a quirky British import with dicey prospects and turned it into a primetime giant with true historical and cultural significance.
 
Hilarious, heartwarming, and revelatory, The Office gives fans and pop culture buffs a front-row seat to the phenomenal sequence of events that launched The Office into wild popularity, changing the face of television and how we all see our office lives for decades to come.

About the book-

Like many other people who were fans of the original UK version of "The Office", I am pretty sure I rolled my eyes and resisted the US version for quite a while thinking it could never live up to the original. I am so glad my husband started watching it and talked me into it as well during the original run because it ended up surprisingly far surpassing the UK version and becoming one of my favorite sitcoms of all time. I know so many people who go to this show as their "comfort binge" on Netflix too and I am glad to see so many new people fall in love with such an innovative piece of tv history. This book gives a behind the scenes look in the form of various interviews with many of the people involved from the creators to the writers to the crew to the actors themselves, giving us a well rounded look at what it took to make The Office in to what it was. Even if you are a super fan you will come away with new information regarding the creative process, Steve Carell's departure from the show and how that all went down, character development, and thoughts on a spinoff or reboot. I recommend this book to any fan of "The Office".

The Grumble Free Year: Twelve Months, Eleven Family Members, and One Impossible Goal by Trisha Goyer

*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-

The Goyer home--with two parents, eight kids, and one eighty-eight-year-old grandmother with dementia--is never without noise, mess, activity, and, often, complaining. And it's not just the kids grumbling. After adding seven children in less than six years through adoption, the Goyer family decided to move out of survival-mode and into unity- and growth-mode. They decided to tackle the impossible: a grumble-free year.

With grade-schoolers, teenagers, and a grandmother who believes children should be seen and not heard, plenty of room exists for flunking the challenge. Add to that seven children being homeschooled together in close quarters, and what could possibly go awry?

In The Grumble-Free Year, the Goyers invite readers into their journey as they go complaint-free and discover what it looks like to develop hearts of gratitude. They share their plans, successes, failures, and all the lessons they learn along the way, offering real-life action steps based in scripture so that readers get not just a front-row seat to the action but also an opportunity to take the challenge themselves and uncover hearts that are truly thankful.

My thoughts-

I have read a lot of Tricia Goyer's fiction works over the last several years and even a few of her non-fiction books. I always seems to enjoy what she writes so I jump at the chance to read whatever I see by her. I felt this book got off to a slow start, but that is because the grumble free year at the Goyer house also got off to a slow start- which makes sense in such a large family, even my family of 5 would take a while to get used to such a big change. We are wired to be negative so we have to fight those urges to get to a place to be positive. I thought the book gave some great advice on how to be more positive, how to complain less, and how to takes life's punches as they come in a better way than just always focusing on the bad of difficult situations. I appreciate the Goyers letting us learn from their year long project and their willingness to be open about their struggles to get there. I enjoyed the discussions questions at the end of each chapter. I recommend this book to anyone looking to be more positive. 

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

*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-

Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether.

But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game.

No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong?

Melissa Ferguson’s hilarious and warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way.

My thoughts-

I love reading books by new authors because it is a great way to find something new and fresh. I think The Dating Charade is one of the cutest books I have read in a long time. I love heartwarming stories, especially this time of year and this one was full of heart. Cassie and Jett are lovable characters that you can't help but root for. I always enjoy a good blast from the past re-connection and Jett is just too adorable when he sees Cassie's profile and the events that unfold that make Cassie interested. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good clean romance novel. 

The Kitchen without Borders by The Eat Offbeats Chefs

*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-

Founded in November 2015 by a brother and sister who came to New York from the Middle East, Eat Offbeat is a unique catering company staffed by refugee and immigrant chefs who have found a new home, and new hope, for their lives. Now, in 70 authentic, nourishing recipes, with roots and soul that run as deep as their flavors, The Kitchen without Borders brings the culinary traditions of fourteen chefs from around the world including Syria, Iran, Eritrea, and Venezuela, right to our tables.

Discover delicious, unexpected flavor combinations, and ingredients—like sumac, pomegranate molasses, tahini—that will enhance the repertoire of any home cook or adventurous eater. Here is Iraqi Biryani, a rice dish combining vegetables and plump dried fruits with warming spices. Or an irresistibly cooling yogurt and fresh mint drink native to Afghanistan, known as doogh. Gorgeously smooth Syrian hummus, the original inspiration for Eat Offbeat. And Chari Bari, hand-formed meatballs simmered in a Nepali-spiced tomato and cashew sauce.

More than a celebration of delicious foods from around the world, this recipe collection—with its intimate chef profiles and photographic portraits—allows people who have been displaced to share their cherished cuisines, in their own words. And it makes a thoughtful, inspiring gift for any home cook, for anyone concerned about or affected by the world's refugee crisis, or for anyone who understands the profound link between food, home, and keeping traditions vibrantly alive.

My thoughts-

The Kitchen without Borders is a beautiful cookbook for some many reasons. It goes beyond a traditional cookbook with just recipes to a peek into the people who run the kitchen at Eat Offbeats. I find other cultures fascinating and enjoy food from different places as well, so this was a great cookbook for me, one of my favorites in a long while. I loved reading the stories about the different chefs, and how it included both anecdotes about growing up back home (whether that be Nepal or Iran or numerous other places) as well as moving to a new country and starting over and about their time in The Eat Offbeats kitchen. Most of these chefs are refugees which makes the fact that this company exists even cooler. They have a shared story although all of their stories are different. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to cook or learn new things. 

The Kid-Friendly ADHD Autism 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 stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

One of the challenges that parents face is coping with children who have picky appetites and crave the very foods that negatively affect their behavior, focus, and development. Linked to this is the challenge of finding ways to get their children to eat the healthy foods that will improve their nutrition. This book provides suggestions for feeding picky eaters, including those with texture issues.

The 3rd edition of The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook provides a current and greatly expanded review of the most commonly used diets that are important in the treatment of ADHD and autism. There are recipes appropriate to specific diets as indicated by icons and descriptors with each recipe. The authors share details about just how and why each diet works, examine specialty ingredients in-depth, and provide extensive resources and references.

My thoughts-

Once upon a time I had an older edition of this book at my home. I am not sure what happened to it, but I was definitely interested in this update. This version, the 3rd edition of The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook is a plethora of great information. There are some wonderful break downs of the different diets that might help kids with these neurological differences. I am familiar with a few but not all of these diets so it was nice to have them all explained and how each might help or which one might be right for your kid or kids. I found that all of the recipes included were kid friendly enough to work for our family. I think this is a book that is worth having for any parent with a kid with adhd or autism. 

The Secret Garden Cookbook by Amy Cotler

*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-

Frances Hodgson Burnett's wonderful tale The Secret Garden celebrates its young heroine, Mary Lennox, as she brings an abandoned garden back to life. It also delights in good food, robust appetites, and the health and strength they can bring. It describes a world where water, light, and loving care bring soil and plants back to life—and also one in which fresh milk, homemade currant buns, and hearty, simple fare renew and bring pleasure to the novel's complex and fascinating characters.

Amy Cotler serves up in these pages 50 recipes, all updated for the modern kitchen, that are at once true to Mary's world and completely appealing for today's tastes. You will find a bounty of baked things, including English Crumpets, Cozy Currant Buns, Jam Roly Poly, Dough Cakes with Cinnamon and Sugar, and The Best Sticky Gingerbread Parkin. (A parkin is a cake rich in molasses, honey, and sugar that often is served on Guy Fawkes Day.) There is more-substantial and savory fare for teatime and dinnertime, too, and for breakfast and brunch, along with drinks and snacks for the daily whirl—all guaranteed to keep the magic of this beloved tale alive for years to come.

My thoughts-

I love the beautiful cover to this book with the gorgeous colors that bring you right into the garden. The inside pages are filled with recipes, history of food, and book quotes to further transport you to the Secret Garden novel. The mouthwatering recipes mostly make me want to host an afternoon tea or go have a picnic. The Secret Garden Cookbook celebrates fresh foods and a time when people would get their food from their own gardens. There are many of great dishes included, but I was excited especially to see  a couple of Indian dishes in the book. Any fan of The Secret Garden will enjoy this cookbook. 

Losing My Voice to Find It by Mark Stuart

*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-

The incredible story of a lead singer's rise to fame and his crushing fall when he lost his singing voice, his career, and his marriage--and then found a new calling more in tune with God than he ever thought possible. 

Mark Stuart was the front man of popular Christian rock band, Audio Adrenaline, at a time when the Christian music scene exploded. Advancing from garage band to global success, the group sold out stadiums all over the world, won Grammy Awards, and even celebrated an album going certified Gold. But after almost twenty years, Mark's voice began to give out. When doctors diagnosed him with a debilitating disease, the career with the band he'd founded and dedicated his life to building was gone. Then to his shock, his wife ended their marriage, and Mark believed he'd lost everything.

Unsure of his future, Mark traveled to Haiti to help with the band's ministry, the Hands and Feet Project. When the devastating 2010 earthquake hit, media learned he was present and sought him out for interviews. Ironically, Mark became the scratchy voice for the struggling Haitians, drawing the world's attention to their dire circumstances. In the process, Mark found a greater purpose than he'd ever known before. In this gripping, compelling new book, Mark Stuart overlays his story with passages from the gospel of John, urging his readers to listen for God's voice and to embrace his big love that calls us into a big life.

My thoughts-

Like many Christians who were kids or teenagers in the late 90's I adored Audio Adrenaline. They were one of my favorite Christian bands (second only to Relient K). I remember going to see them at Six Flags with a few friends and then running into kids from my youth group and one of those boys ended up on stage with them that night. They put on a great live show, full of energy and the presence of God through their music and the power of fellowship. This was an interesting read to me. I loved the band, but back in those days the internet was still kind of a newer thing and we weren't looking for information about every little tidbit of every person's life so I didn't know much of Mark Stuart's story. I loved that through this memoir I got to learn about the bands roots in college before it's "Big House" days when they became a household name. It wasn't always all rainbows and butterflies and Mark Stuart is very open in sharing his story including the sad parts. The sad parts led to some really new great parts! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys memoirs or who loves Audio Adrenaline and wants a behind the scenes play by play of Mark's journey from then until now. 

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

*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-

Where do you see yourself in five years?

When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.

But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.

After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.

That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.

Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.

My thoughts-

I read a lot of books, like sometimes several a week, and much of the time because of that I have to push through them when I find them to be slow. In Five Years was the exact opposite. I read it in one day, every chance I got to get into the pages because I had to know what happened. This was a beautiful contemporary love story that was both modern but had a classic feel about it. It will pull at the heartstrings (both happy and sad tears were shed), but it will leave you feeling fulfilled.  I thought it was going to be an entirely different book than it was, but I was grateful I was wrong because I never could have imagined the story any better than it turned out. 

Portrait of an Artist: Claude Monet by Lucy Brownridge

*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-

Claude Monet is one of the best loved artists of all time. Find out how this special young painter strove to capture light and feeling in his paintings and how together with a group of talented friends, he came to start the most famous art movement of all time, Impressionism. In his long life he experienced war and heartbreak, love and the joy of family. See how his life shaped each piece of art he made and that throughout it all he never stopped trying to paint the ever changing light and glimmering water. In the end he built himself a garden filled with both, with waterlilies floating on dappled ponds setting the scene for his last, infamous masterpieces. 


My thoughts-

I have always had a special place in my heart for visual art, particularly the masterpieces that created during the Impressionism era. Claude Monet has always been my absolute favorite artist. In fact, I have a canvas of Water Lilies hanging in my French themed kitchen. This gorgeous book is written in an easy to understand narrative for young children and is a great introduction to art, and it's importance. The beautiful illustrations are like a book full of Impressionist paintings themselves, but there is also a Claude Monet piece on each spread. I enjoyed learning about Monet, there were a few things that I learned I didn't know, and I loved the descriptions of several pieces of Monet's works at the end of the book. I recommend this book to any person at all of any age, but particularly for elementary aged children. 

I'm Waiting God- Women's Bible Study Guide with Leader Helps by Barb Roose

*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-

Do you ever feel like God is taking too long to answer your prayers? Have you ever taken matters into your own hands, only to discover that you’ve made the situation worse?

Waiting on God challenges our faith when the bills are stacking up, our families are falling apart, or our dreams feel like they won't come true. We know that God hears our prayers, but it’s hard when the clock is ticking yet He hasn’t shown us the answer.

In this four-week Bible study, Barb Roose invites us to explore the stories of women in the Bible who had to wait on God— women such as Hannah, Ruth, Martha, and the unnamed woman who suffered for over a decade with a painful medical condition. If you’ve felt anxious, angry, discouraged or depressed because God isn’t giving you what you want, their stories will breathe fresh hope and practical next steps in your life. As a reforming control lover, Barb mixes in her personal stories of learning how to wait for God during long seasons of unanswered prayers, family difficulties, and challenging times in ministry. Together we will discover that there is goodness and blessing to be found in times of waiting, including a closer relationship with God than we’ve ever dared to dream.

My thoughts-

I just finished up attending a women's Bible study based on another book my Barb Roose about worry. I really felt that study was helpful and I like Barb's style so I was excited to read "I'm Waiting God". I also felt like it was more pertinent to the season of life I am in since there are several "waiting rooms" I feel like I am in. This study highlights 4 women of the Bible who were in "waiting rooms of their own". This study spoke to me on a deep level. I had several "a ha!" moments! I also like the way the study is laid out. It is organized into 4 weeks, with 3 days of study and 2 days of optional further studies. I like this because it allows you to dig deeper if you feel lead to, but doesn't make you feel overwhelmed to keep up. This study can be done alone, but would be best done as a group with group discussion. I would recommend this to anyone women's Bible study group, but I wouldn't discount doing it on your own either if you don't have a group to attend. 

Keto Simple by Martina Sajerova

*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 al opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Best-selling KetoDiet author, Martina Slajerova gives 100 delicious recipes that are easy in preparation and technique, frugal in the number of required ingredients, and can be put together quickly. No stress. No complication. Just a great keto meal from stove to table in minimal time.

Keto has become the hottest health-supportive diet around. However, even the most committed keto follower doesn't always have the time and inclination to cook for 90 minutes or the budget-bandwidth for 14-ingredient dinners. With Keto Simple, you can live your keto lifestyle without it becoming expensive, complicated, or all-consuming. Along with simply amazing recipes, find meal-prepping, planning, and shopping strategies that save you time and money.

Whether you are looking for a quick recipe to throw in your office lunchbox or how to build out leftovers and simple base recipes into tomorrow's menu, Keto Simple has you covered.

My thoughts-

When it comes to Ketogenic cookbooks, if either Maria Emmerich or Martina Slajerova, I am going to look to it for recipes. Before I even so this was a cookbook by Martina Slajerova, I loved the beautiful cover and the clever play on words of the title "Keto Simple" (keep it simple) and the idea of easy meals that could help keep me on track. When I dove into the recipes I was even more impressed. There were not only some great breakfasts, and a nice section on lunchboxes, there were several interesting dinners with some outside of the box meats like duck and lamb, which I think can really elevate a meal. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to live a healthy low carb lifestyle full of tasty meals but that may not have the time to make elaborate meals. 

The Bathsheba Battle: Finding Hope When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn by Natalie Chambers Snapp

*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-

Has your life ever taken an unexpected turn, leaving you feeling hurt and stuck?  In The Bathsheba Battle, Natalie Chambers Snapp helps women find healing and hope when things haven’t gone as they had planned. Bathsheba, typically misrepresented as an adulteress, is one of the most misunderstood women in the Bible. Despite an unexpected turn in her life, which resulted in tragic circumstances beyond her control, there are glimmers of hope in her story. By studying her life, readers will find healing from their own painful pasts and hope for living the free and full lives God intends.

My thoughts-

I know when many people think of life taking an "unexpected turn" they probably immediately think of death, but it can  also be anything from going through a divorce, an unplanned pregnancy, or a number of other things. I don't think anyone in this life is immune from going through something unexpected that may make you feel worn down, and defeated. The Bathsheba Battle is the perfect study for someone going through an unexpected season of life, someone who might need some healing. I have had several unexpected things going on in my life over the last year and I think I am just now processing all of them so I have been in kind of a bad place. This study gave me hope. This study lifted me up. This study modeled strong women who dealt with pain and suffereing and turned it into stronger faith in God. The main study is about Bathsheba but many other women heroes are briefly mentioned in these pages. I read this book alone, but it is also set up to be done in a group Bible study. There are fabulous verses at the end of each section to meditate on and study, as well as a prayer and  discussion questions. I recommend this book to literally any Christian woman, but particularly Bible study groups. 

The Little Bookshoop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin

*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-

When bookshop owner Sarah Smith is offered the opportunity for a job exchange with her Parisian friend Sophie, saying yes is a no-brainer—after all, what kind of romantic would turn down six months in Paris? Sarah is sure she’s in for the experience of a lifetime—days spent surrounded by literature in a gorgeous bookshop, and the chance to watch the snow fall on the Eiffel Tower. Plus, now she can meet up with her journalist boyfriend, Ridge, when his job takes him around the globe.

But her expectations cool faster than her café au lait soon after she lands in the City of Light—she’s a fish out of water in Paris. The customers are rude, her new coworkers suspicious and her relationship with Ridge has been reduced to a long-distance game of phone tag, leaving Sarah to wonder if he’ll ever put her first over his busy career. As Christmas approaches, Sarah is determined to get the shop—and her life—back in order…and make her dreams of a Parisian happily-ever-after come true.

My thoughts-

The beautiful cover of The Little Bookshop on the Seine alone would have drawn me in, but a novel set in a bookshop? in Paris? Yes, Please! Just by looking at the book cover I know many of the boxes I would tick to want to read something would be met. I absolutely loved the novel, having an small town American girl on an adventure in Paris, running a bookshop there tugged at my heartstrings. I once went to Paris many years ago with my family, and I have been pining over Paris nearly every day since. I hope to go back one day and spend more time enjoying the magic and romance of one of my favorite places on Earth, if not my most favorite. I enjoyed the varied characters that make up the bookshop staff and loved seeing their stories unfold. This was a cute romance novel that ties things up around Christmas time so this is the perfect sweet romantic novel to usher in the holiday season here in the U.S. I recommend this book to dreamers, romantics, and francophiles. 

The Ultimate Guide to Perserving & Canning

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher 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-

Whether you are a gardener, a fan of farmers’ markets, or just someone who likes to browse the bountiful produce at the supermarket, canning and preserving are easy, fun, and affordable ways to enjoy fresh-grown foods all year long. This book provides all the information you need to know to get started today, including basic steps to canning foods safely and easily; recipes for preserving everything from tomatoes and jams to soups, sauces, and other hearty meals; and tips on how to find the freshest local produce. Clear, easy-to-follow instructions with color photographs make this a must-have book.

The recipes include lots of preparations, both savory and sweet, and they range from blue-ribbon classics like dilly beans, sweet gherkins, applesauce, strawberry jam, and sauerkraut to new creations like Lavender Apple Butter, Raspberry-Rhubarb Sauce, Green Tomato Chutney, and Hibiscus Lime Jelly. A special chapter introduces readers to jam- and jelly-making using Pomona’s pectin, which requires little to no added sugar—thereby letting the natural sweetness of the fruit shine through beautifully.

This comprehensive book teaches beginners how to get started and gives seasoned veterans new techniques and recipes to try.

My thoughts-

Not too long ago, a good friend taught me how to can fruit preserves. It was definitely hard work but I am still enjoying the fruits of that labor a few months later which makes it well worth it. I have always been intimidated to can because I am afraid I will mess something up and get everyone sick, but after canning with my friend and seeing step by step how it works, I am ready to try more canning recipes! I love that The Ultimate Guide to Preserving & Canning gives you lots of tips at the beginning for successful canning. I also thought that many of the recipes got a modern update which is nice since I like to try new things. There are also traditional recipes which I definitely want to try as well. I thought there was a nice variety of recipes to try and I can not wait to get into my kitchen and give them a go! I recommend this book to anyone looking to start canning or someone who already has mastered the art but wants some updated recipes. 

Epic Air Fryer Cookbook by Emily Paster

*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-

The Epic Air Fryer Cookbook serves up everything you love about air frying in 100 easy everyday recipes that turn out scrumptiously crispy, family-friendly meals.

With your air fryer, you can enjoy cooking and eating delicious fried foods guilt-free—because air-frying recipes use little or no oil. And, as author Emily Paster reveals, your air fryer can cook all kinds of dishes beyond fried foods.

Turn your air fryer into the most versatile and oft-used appliance in your kitchen arsenal with:Globally inspired recipes, from fritters and fritattas to shakshuka and falafel, plus Teriyaki Glazed Ribs, Sicilian Stuffed Peppers, General Tso’s Chicken, and lots more homey and robust fried foods, like spring rolls, buttermilk fried chicken, and country-fried steak Breakfasts and brunches, appetizers, snacks, and party food. Desserts, such as Apple Turnovers, Caramelized Peach Shortcakes, Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce, and Lemon-Lavender Doughnuts.

All the recipes in The Epic Air Fryer Cookbook use easy-to-find ingredients and feature short prep times and fast cook times. For air-frying rookies, there are ample tips for getting started with your air fryer and for using and maintaining it—no matter what make or model you own—as you enjoy cooking with it in the years to come.

Cooking with your air fryer has never been more healthy, more fun...or more epic!

My thoughts-

I got an air fryer a few months ago because I have heard such good things about them and so far I love mine! I have a couple of air fryer specific cookbooks and they have been good but pretty similar in nature so far. Epic Air Fryer breaks the mold from just southern based "fried" foods (fried pickles, fried chicken, ect) and adds fun food from around the world like falafel, eggrolls and samosas. I can't wait to try out these recipes and see how the compare to their less healthy, deep fried counterparts. A cookbook of delicious food from around the world without the saturated fat or guilt is exactly the kind of cookbook I want on my book shelf!