Review: Food a Love Story

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan


Do I read it, or rub it on my face?

Yes! Read it! Read it and eat something while you're at it. This book will make you hungry. If you're not eating while you're reading, you'll want to eat when you finish. Better yet, eat before you read. Reading isn't swimming, so feel free to read on a full stomach.

If you are familiar with Gaffigan's standup, you'll know that he loves to talk about food. Yes, you'll recognize bits and bites of his routine in the book, but he adds so much more. He shares photos and diagrams along with his thoughts, ideas, and humor. The book does ramble, but how is the best way to write a book on food? Do you start with breakfast and end with dessert? Do you write about cooking and end with supper clubs? Do you wrap everything up in a bacon wrapped hot pocket? There is no rhyme or reason to an foodie eatie's story. The reader can consume a large portion of this reflective book or sample little bits along with the way. It's a delicious read, that just might make milk* come out of your nose. (*Depends on what you're drinking or eating at the time.)

If you're not acquainted with Jim Gaffigan, you'll get a large dose about one of his life's passions. You might want to view a bit of his comedy before jumping in or watch a bit after you're done reading. It's good, clean humor that a large audience can appreciate.

The audiobook is read by Jim Gaffigan. Keep in mind listeners...he is reading his book and not sharing a seven hour standup routine. He does add bits of flare here and there, but it's mostly Jim, reading Jim. I really appreciated that Gaffigan read his own book. I doubt that the humor would come across if another talent read his story.

Reviewed from a library copy and a Blogging for Books copy. The audiobook arrived on the hold shelf the same time the hard cover arrived in the mail! It was pretty exciting to read and listen to Food: a Love Story. Thank you, Blogging for Books for this review copy. I heartily enjoyed it.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

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Review: Daugher of Highland Hall

The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky


The Daughter of Highland Hall is book two in the Carrie Turansky's series Edwardian Brides. The first book shares the story of Julia Foster and Sir William Ramsey. If you've read book one, The Governess of Highland Hall, the newest novel jumps right in after book one concludes. Except the main character Katherine Ramsey, Julia's former charge. If you haven't read book one, the back story would help, but the main story focuses on Katherine (Kate) and her coming out in London, so you wouldn't need to if you wanted to jump right in with this title!

Kate struggled when her cousin, Sir William Ramsey inherited her family's estate. William became her guardian and Kate became bitter. When Julie arrived, she helped Kate turn her life around. The largest part was showing her God's love and importance of leading an honest life. Kate takes her lessons to heart as she struggles with debuting during the London season. Her critical Aunt Louisa wears her down, but she believes honesty is best. Kate catches the eye of eligible bachelor Edward Wellington, but also Julie's brother Jonathan Foster who is in London finishing his medical training. It's a great year of change for Kate. As the season progresses, she begins to discover what matters in her life and what will bring joy to her, to others, and to God.


It was a pleasure reading Kate's story. The London season is always fun to read about in books. Her Aunt was quite the pusher, but if the goal is a good marriage to someone with high standing, it's what would need to done. Kate has a very strong personality and you can understand the struggle she faces between respecting her aunt and standing her ground. She questioned her faith, her future, and her foundation of marriage. I think it was wise for her to contemplate and see the differences of relationships that surrounded her. It's not always easy to know your mind and your heart. It's wise to question, pray, and seek council with others.


I look at my own life and can see a similar path during points of my past. Time and events can change your perspective. It's not always easy, but having friends and family and faith will help smooth the journey. Julia, Jon, and others offered beautiful advise shared in faith that can help sustain a person going through trouble times. Turansky wove together a beautiful story. I look forward to her next piece that is coming out in 2015 - A Refuge at Highland Hall.


Time Period: Edwardian, 1912
Location: London, England


Thank you, Blogging for Books for this review copy! I enjoyed it!
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Review: Tried and True

Tried and True by Mary Connealy

Book 01: Wild at Heart

The Wild family finished fighting in the Civil War and moved West. They wanted to be part of homesteading new territory and create a large claim in honor of their lost family member - Jimmy. In actuality, father Cudgel Wilde wanted his daughters to homestead on their own and after they homestead for their required years, their large piece of property would be in honor of his lost son. The daughters, Kylie, Bailey, and Shannon agree to homestead, but it turns out to be more challenging then they all expected. Someone is out to get Kylie for her land. The land agenda, Aaron Masterson, sees through the sisters' "manly" disguises instantly and they could be written up for fraud. And what about the after effects of fighting in the Civil War?

Mary Connealy always weaves such a delightful and unique story. I'm always at the edge of my seat for the next book she has published. This new series was no exception! Right away, readers know it's going be to a series instead of a standalone novel. She set it up by having three sisters creating their own unique homesteads as well as giving each girl strengths and weaknesses. They compliment each other very well. Kylie and Aaron are the main characters, but plenty of others in the territory and town come into play. There is a mountain man named Matt Tucker, a rancher named Gage Coulter who was building up his property before settlers began arriving; Neville Bassett - a confederate with a grudge, and Sunrise - an outcast from the Shoshone tribe. Readers are in for a high-paced treat during the land run after the War Between the States. I cannot wait to read the next installment of the Wild at Heart series!

Time Period: Post-Civil War, Western, 1866
Location: Idaho Territory


Reviewed from a NetGalley copy. Thank you, Bethany House!

Martha Stewart's One Pot Cookbook

One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals from Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More by Martha Stewart


Are you familiar with Martha Stewart Living magazine? It's a magazine that is filled with recipes, products, home decor, and helpful hints. The format is clean and crisp with photographs that are in muted and welcoming tones. It's a mix between old world, well-loved pieces and modern marvels. It translated very well into their newest cookbook.

The recipes were divided by there cooking pots - dutch oven, skillet & saute pan, slow cooker, roasting pan & baking dish, pressure cooker, then stockpot & saucepan. Dessert options are at the end of the book, but they are prepared between a variety of the above listed pots and pans. The beginning of each section offered a list of the recipes and a page about each pot. The introduction to each pot includes basics and cooking tips. These extra pages are very helpful for the reader who has never cooked with certain pots before in their kitchen.

The recipes in each section offer a wide variety of dinner options. There is a different range of food and flavors as well as cooking abilities. Some recipes throw everything together and cook it (Linguine with Tomato and Basil) while others ask for an additional step or two before throwing it all together (Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Lemon). All in all, each recipe focused on one pot creations that will please a wide audience. If the cook doesn't like the written recipe, it can always be adjusted. If you're new to adjusting a recipe, each section offers one recipe that can be cooked four different ways. All I can say is dig in and enjoy the cooking adventure!

Photographs accompany each recipe. I appreciated that each photograph showed a different food presentation. The finished dishes were displayed in different pots and pans or serving dishes or on plates or bowls. The variety of the photographs kept the art interesting and heartwarming with their mix of well-used kitchen equipment and new pieces for the kitchen.

Lastly, I noticed a couple book design features I've enjoyed in this book. The sections are divided by the pots. On the recipe pages next to the page number, the publishers included a small gray scale watercolor image of the highlighted pot in that particular section. Artwork that is cute and helpful when flipping through the cookbook. Another design plus is having built-in bookmarks with the book cover flaps - very helpful when marking a page.

I previously cooked Linguine with Tomato and Basil (except, I used penne). It was delicious and simple. I am looking forward to expanding my culinary skills and trying some new recipes. I also enjoyed seeing recipes done using different pots. I would have never thought to make Mac and Cheese in a skillet or cook sausages with potatoes in a dutch oven.

Thank you, Blogging for Books for this review copy! I heartily enjoyed it!

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Review: Your Family in Pictures

Your Family in Pictures: The Parents' Guide to Photographing Holidays, Family Portraits, and Everyday Life by Me Ra Koh


Your Family in Pictures is the follow up book to Me Ra Koh's previous photography titles: Your Baby in Pictures and Your Child in Pictures. I would love to say that this title follows the style of her previous titles, but at this point, I have not read her earlier books. I assume that her recipes and giving spirit present in this book are also in her other books. I am very interested in finding her other books after reading Your Family in Pictures.

Mr Ra Koh shares her love of her family, her passion for photography, and her mission to share photography with others. She created this book to inspire parents (especially mothers) to look at family moments and take photographs in a new light. Whether the family owns a point-and-shoot camera or a DSLR, Koh shares her her tips, tricks, knowledge, and "recipes."

Her recipes are how to re-create your own version of her (and her friends') family photos. Koh breaks each photograph down to the best time of day, prep work for the photo, composing the image and finally capturing the shot. Each recipe includes P&S users (point-and-shoot) as well as DSLR users. Each photo is possible! It's all about taking your time and understanding your equipment. I have a P&S camera, but after reading the DSLR recipes, I long to pick one up! I used to shoot on film with a SLR, but I haven't shot with film in oh so many years... Well, there's always a new adventure around the corner!

The book is divided up into different aspects of family and different family moments during the year. The topics covered include everyday life, holidays, family portraits, tweens & teens, family vacations & travel. While some events are obvious (birthday parties, Christmas, or portraits), Koh offers up unique, quiet, and restful everyday ideas like capturing a teenager's bedroom, relaxing at a hotel room, or taking a portrait of Mom. Beyond the recipes, Koh shares a glimpse of her story, tips for equipment, and personal thoughts to motivate and inspired photographers.

If you are a new photographer or a pro, Me Ra Koh's book will inspire and warm the hearts of those who read it. She shares her heart and her family with her readers. It's a beautiful and thoughtful book.


I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review. Thank you, Blogging for Books!

Review: Dear Luke ... Dad Darth

Dear Luke, We Need to Talk, Darth: And Other Pop Culture Correspondences by John Moe


When I came across this title, the cover drew me in. As author Jacqueline Navin once wrote in a novel, "I adore correspondence. When a letter arrives from a friend it is like getting a small present." Jim Gaffigan also is quoted on the front as saying, "I loved everything about this book." Mr. Gaffigan is one of my favorite comedians, so I thought I would give this book a go.

When it arrived in the mail, the format threw me off. I thought this book would be more like a little coffee table book or one made of collages. The books that came to my mind include the Post Secret series and À la Cart: The Secret Lives of Grocery Shoppers. (Especially, the À la Cart book.) The format is a paperback in black, white, and gray. The correspondences vary from notes to letters to chalkboards. The fonts also are changed up a bit, but nothing too dramatic, so it is all legible.

Unfortunately, I was left with the feeling of "meh." I picked out the letters I could relate to the most and gave them more of my attention than others. It was more skim reading than detailed reading for me. I think my top choices that made me smile were Dora the Explorer's mother, the man with the yellow hat, and Gunther from Friends. Author Moe is clever and offers lots of new background ideas, but his humor is a bit off-putting for me. The pieces that I read turned sarcastic and snarky. Sometimes the language turned me off. I don't enjoy coarse language, so when it gets thrown into a book I don't always feel compelled to continue with it.

If readers enjoy pop culture and the ridiculous, I would recommend this title to them. It is a humor piece written with adults in mind.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Review: Tear You Apart

Tear You Apart by Sarah Cross


Tear You Apart is a companion to Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross. This novel can be read separately from Cross' first piece, but I would recommend reading Kill Me Softly before Tear You Apart. Characters from the first book reappear in the second as well as small pieces of the earlier storyline. Readers, you will have time to enjoy Kill Me Softly, because Tear You Apart will be published in January 2015.

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Cross is so clever with her reinvented fairy tales. When I saw that a new title was coming out, I immediately went to the library to checkout Kill Me Softly in preparation for reading Tear You Apart. (It’s worth a reread for this new title.)

Sarah Cross returned to Beau Rivage to share another couple's story. Again, I became captivated by the fairy tales that intertwined throughout the story. Since fairy tales stories are well known, I could see where some of the storylines lead, but she always managed to change it just a little to take my breath away. I don't want to reveal too much of the twists, but I will share what Cross shared on her website: "Snow White plus the Twelve Dancing Princesses ... and some other fairy tales I'll keep secret for now."

I would recommend this title to teens or adults. Fairy tales are popular for the tweens, but the content is for a mature audience. The characters swear, drink, and deal with murders. Some younger readers are not prepared for that type of content yet.

Just like the companion piece, the story is wrapped up at the end and can standalone. I still wonder about the other characters who came alive in this novel. I think Cross would have a fantastic Beau Rivage series if she shared the fates of her other fairytale characters. I anxiously await more stories!

Reviewed from a NetGalley copy. Thank you, Egmont USA!

ISBN: 9781606845912
eBook ISBN: 9781606845929
Published: January 27, 2015

Review: Feather Bound

Feather Bound by Sarah Raughley


Are you familiar with the classic fairytale Swan Maidens? If not, I would recommend reading the short story before (or after) reading Feather Bound. Author Sarah Raughley gives the classic story a new modern twist.

I liked that Raughley weaved swans into the history of the book. Swan information is available in classes, on the internet, and printed in brochures. That was interesting and edgy. She also kept the story very modern with the language and references to pop culture and trends.

I prefer my fractured fairytales less edgy. The language was genuine for the characters and settings, but I would rather not read books with foul language and "totes." I was taken aback by "totes." I appreciate the dynamic reading of "totes" from the Sprint commercial, but beyond that I would prefer not to read it in books.



Sections of the Swan Maidens story was included but it felt a little out of place. I'm not sure it was needed. Or maybe it just needed different formatting. I would have liked to see story selections or quotes as chapter headings rather than having them as mini "chapters" throughout the book.

Some of the themes in the book include abuse, human trafficking, understanding yourself, and justice. Evil is overcome in the end and life can slowly be rebuilt. The story wraps up well and can standalone. I give this book two swans out of five. If you're interested in modern fairytales, I would recommend reading some Alix Flinn books.

Reviewed from a NetGalley copy. Thank you, Angry Robot Ltd!

Review: Truth Be Told

Truth Be Told by Carol Cox


Amelia Wagner looks forward to spending the summer in Granite Springs. Her father lives there and operates the small town's newspaper. She reunites with her father, but quickly needs to say goodbye to the man she loves and admires. Instead of working side-by-side over the summer, Amelia takes up the reins of the newspaper. She wants to follow in her father's footsteps and only print the truth because "ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," but uncovering the truth in stories is not always an easy task.

One of her late father's leads was focused on a new business in town, the Great Western Investment Company. A young man, Ben Stone, works for the company and his actions convey his intent of honesty and caring, but his boss and colleagues smile and evade direct questions. Something is happening and Amelia is determined to find the truth and share it with the citizens of Granite Springs. The truth could shed light on the prosperity of the town, but at what cost to the paper and the paper's employees?

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Carol Cox returns to write another standalone novel set in historic Arizona Territory. Her previous Arizona standalone titles include Love in Disguise and Trouble in Store. The book trio is reminiscent of Tracie Peterson's Land of Shining Waters series. Both series are wonderful. I enjoyed that each novel was a standalone and the ties that bond them to the others was the time period and state location. Cox selected the Arizona Territory, while Peterson chose Minnesota.

Truth Be Told focuses on finding the truth and the newspaper industry. The journey toward truth isn't solely about the news and the newspaper in Granite Springs. The truth digs into business practices, relationships, and faith. Truth isn't always wrapped up in a bow and can lead to danger because of our fallen world, but in the end the truth brings freedom.

The most unique part of this novel was the family dynamics of the Wagners. Mr. and Mrs. have been separated for many years. Amelia would live with her mother during the "school year" and spend summers with her father. The mother became a background character that is heard about but never seen in the story. It was an interesting story element.

If you're looking for a historical read for the summer, I would recommend Truth Be Told. It takes place over the summer months and offers a good mystery to follow and uncover. Also, the romance is light and sincere.

Time Period: 1893
Location: Granite Springs, Arizona Territory, USA

Reviewed from a GoodReads FirstReads copy. Thank you Bethany House!

Review: Beaches & Brides Collection

The Beaches and Brides Romance Collection: 5 Historical Romances Buoyed by the Sea by Lynn A. Coleman, Mary Davis, Susan Page Davis, Paige Winship Dooly, and Cathy Marie Hake


"Venture along historic American shorelines, enjoying five stories that are full of adventure, challenge, and romance."

Barbour Publishing is so creative as they gather their stories together. They are one of the prime publishers for novella books. In one of their newest collections, they compiled stories focusing on future brides and the waterfront property where they live (or live nearby). I appreciated the vast locations - Florida, Washington, Maine, Georgia, Virginia. So much of America has access to beaches, it's not just the beaches in the Southern states or California. (At least, that's where my mind strays when I think of a book beaches.) I think there is a story for everyone in this collection. The authors cover many topics including love, faith, family, friends, work, survival, reconciliation, and a bunch of more interesting topics.

The time periods were a wide range as well. The earliest from 1820 (The Castaway's Bride) to the latest 1918 (Restoration) covers nearly a century! I am accustomed to reading more books in the 1800's, so when I reached Restoration I almost set down the book. I'm so glad I stuck with it! Hake wrote a beautiful story about, as the title states, restoration. It's never easy to restore something of the past, but it is well worth the time, effort, and cost in the end.

The collection's title begs for this book to be read during the beachy, summery months of the year, but these books can be enjoyed all year long.

Book 01 - A Time to Embrace by Lynn A. Coleman (2000)
Time Period: Post Civil War, 1865
Location: Key West, Florida
Previously published as a stand alone in the series Heartsong Presents #396 in 2000 and a digital stand alone in the series Truly Yours Digital Editions in 2012.

Book 02 - The Captain's Wife by Mary Davis (2008)
Time Period: 1898
Location: Port Townsend, Washington, USA
Previously published as a stand alone in the series Heartsong Presents in 2008 and a digital stand alone in 2012.

Book 03 - The Castaway's Bride by Susan Page Davis (2007)
Time Period: 1820
Location: Portland, Maine
Previously published as a stand alone in the series Heartsong Presents in 2007, a part of the novella compilation Maine Brides in 2008, and a digital stand alone in the series Truly Yours Digital Editions in 2012.

Book 04 - The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Paige Winship Dooly (2010)
Time Period: 1867
Location: Little Cumberland Island, Georgia, USA
Previously published as a stand alone in the series Heartsong Presents in 2010 and a part of the novella compilation Georgia Brides (Romancing America series) in 2011.

Book 05 - Restoration by Cathy Marie Hake (2004)
Time Period: WWI, 1918
Location: Virginia, USA
Previously published as a stand alone in the series Heartsong Presents in 2004 and a digital stand alone Truly Yours Digital Editions in 2013.

Reviewed from a NetGalley copy. Thank you, Barbour Books!