Feature & Follow Friday

 

Q. Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?

 My school didn't have summer reading, long story with that one.  But my favorite summer vacation read in elementary school was the Logan Family books - Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Let the Circle Be Unbroken &  The Road to Memphis - all by Mildred D. Taylor.   In high school, it was probably Kindred by Octavia Butler.

 

Review: I'm Kind of A Big Deal: And Other Delusions of Adequacy by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

I'm Kind of A Big Deal: And Other Delusions of Adequacy by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published Date: June 2011







I'm Kind of a Big Deal: And Other Delusions of Adequacy is Stefanie Wilder-Taylor's memory of her journey through Hollywood.  After initially leaving home for New York, she realizes that California might be a better bet to achieving her dream of being an actress.  Amusing anecdotes of the various jobs she has while trying to audition for acting jobs.  Even more fun when she realizes that her manager's wife auditions for all the prime jobs!  Little does she know that suffering through a dating show cattle call would lead to her promising career in show writing and show running.  Finally, she finds something she enjoys doing that she can earn money and enjoys doing.

Having never read any of Stefanie Wilder-Taylor's other books, I had no idea what to expect.  This book exceeded my expectation. Several parts of the book were chest clutching funny. Her description of her struggle with alcoholism and the details of her relationship with her dad were poignant.  The only part I disliked were the letters to Angelina Jolie at the end of the book.  They kind of dragged the book down for me.

**This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.**

Review: Cook Like A Rock Star by Anne Burrell

Cook Like a Rock Star by Anne Burrell
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Published: October 4, 2011








 You may know her from Worst Cooks in America, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Iron Chef, The Next Iron Chef, and Chef Wanted.  Now Anne Burrell has added another feather to her cap with her first cookbook.  I loved her show Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.  I learned many tips that I fantasize  about using someday, so I was super excited to get a chance to review her cookbook.

Cook Like A Rock Star is basically Secrets of a Restaurant Chef - cooking tips and tried and true shortcuts - with recipes.  The first sections is basically a step by step to following recipes, her basic ingredients, and the tools need to create the foods. The book is then divided into recipes for hor d'oeuvres, starters, main courses, pasts dishes, side dishes, and desserts.  Each sections begins with a anecdote from Anne and segues into the recipes.  There are plenty of helpful hints throughout the books such as how to properly poach your food and how to bread food properly.  The best thing about the book is that even though she spells everything out you don't feel condescended too.

Cook Like A Rock Star is a great cookbook.  I actually tried a couple of the recipes.  The ingredients were easily found at a regular supermarket - no special trips to Whole Foods or some specialty shops.  All the cooking terminology is defined and explained and many handy tips are included.  Whether you're a novice cook or a lazy cook like me, Anne gives all the tools needed to make you feel comfortable making these recipes.  I can't wait to try  the Calamari noodles.

** This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. **

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 Any trace of the flat's former occupant has been eradicated.  Instead of Frau Remki's stolid  Kaiserreich mahogany, the furnishings are blond oak with padded silk upholstery.
           Location 1615 of City Of Women by David R. Gillham

Spice Up Your Life with a little Romance

I've been gone for a while but I'm back posting consistently.  Seeing as this an all genre blog, I'll be delving into romance and other spicier reads.  Don't worry the blog will be SFW.  And as a treat I have a couple giveaways courtesy of Gallery Books.

FYI, these books have been marked down

is $2.99 until July 15.


is $2.99 until July 30.

Up for grabs are Deception by Kris Kennedy (in bookstores 7/31) and An Unsuitable Bride (in bookstores 7/24)

Deception by Kris Kennedy

From Amazon:

 

An Unsuitable Bride by Jane Feather

The Rules

* US Residents Only.

* You can only win 1 book.  Leave you choice along 

with your name and email in the comment.

* Contest runs till July 24.

From Amazon:
Long ago, young Viscount Bradley’s prudish family forbade him to marry his beloved. Now, the aging lord has plotted a subtle revenge. His three nephews can split his fortune, but only if each marries a fallen woman. Two have found brides who meet the terms . . . and all depends on the youngest, Peregrine Sullivan.

Follow Friday

Q: What drove you to start book blogging in the first place? I saw the large community of book lovers and wanted to add my two cents.

Review: Targets of Opportunity by Jeffrey S. Stephens

Targets of Opportunity by Jeffrey S. Stephens
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publish Date: August 30, 2011








When a senior member of Iranian military group defects, the CIA is wary but hopeful.  Asking for Agent Jordan Sandor does nothing to set the CIA at ease.  Abu Jaber intimates knowledge of a new terror plot afoot. When a plane blows up followed by the takeover of a French surveillance site in the Caribbean, every one starts to take him a little more seriously.  Now everyone is scrambling for the merest inkling of the plot.  Coming up with a plan is difficult when you barely know your opponent and can't ascertain his point - especially when he is a master strategist.

Jaber's wife is picked up by the Iranians and offered the option of finding her husband and turning him over to Iranian authorities.  Not knowing whether he has abandoned her or has a larger plan at work, she jumps at a chance to leave Iran and confront him.  Caught in the crossfire, Jordan and his team begin to ascertain the real puppet master for this plot.  A mystery man from South America renowned for his philosophy and economic theories but rejected for the extreme actions needed to fulfill his ultimate goal.  Once they figure out who is behind the plot all the pieces start coming together and the team is able to aim their limited resources in the most appropriate manner.  The realization that a nuclear weapon is spurs the team into furious action. On a dark and stormy night, everything came to a head.  Only the extremely brave and skillful action s of some Navy Seals avert major disaster.

Having never read a Jordan Sandor novel, I had no idea what to expect.  I got a fast paced action thriller that incorporates ripped from the headlines facts.  Even though the book is over 400 pages, the action was continuous and constant making the story seem way shorter.  The basic plot, a terrorist anti-US alliance between two countries is scarily realistic.  All that being said this book was ridiculous in some ways.  The bad guys all die in really theatrical ways.  Jordan is able to muscle his way out of one of the most surveilled and controlled countries pretty much spur of the moment.  He's always going according to his own plan.  The finale is the perfect storm literally, but everything works out.

**This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.**