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A Perfect Summer Read!
"Eight Hundred Grapes" delivered something far from what I was expecting. I expected to find an average romance taking place at a winery. What I got was a story that was rich and full and complex but at the same time, so very simple and can be summed up in one sentence. It's a story about what one wants out of life and what will have to be sacrificed for it.
Within the beautiful setting of a vineyard, the story is rich with information of what it takes to masterful at making a great wine and also the lessons of life that come with it. The main character, Georgia Ford discovers herself and her true desires and needs when she returns home a few days before her wedding.
This mesmerizing look at Georgia and her return to find a not perfect family made this a wonderful and hard-to-put down story. Easy to read, yet complex to a point, I found a ring of truth to the situation: when we lose our rose colored glasses and see life for what it is.
I enjoyed Georgia and her struggles and found myself adoring Jacob and Dan. The shifting from present to past was not difficult because the past was in 3rd person and the present was in 1st person. The ending was a bit predictable but was truly satisfying.
If you are looking for a decent Women's fiction book to read this summer, look no further. "Eight Hundred Grapes" is a wonderful book that will entertain you with humor, drama and self-realization.
Blue Ribbon Canning Across America: Award-Winning Recipes
When one hears mention of canning and preserving, for many it seems to have a connection with older women or someone's grandmother and days gone by. I have been told that canning is going out of style. Why should one work so hard to produce things that could be purchased in the store for close to the same cost to possibly even cheaper than it can be made?!Blue Ribbon Canning answers that question with the delicious recipes that are provided in this gorgeous book. These are award winning recipes from fair and competition winners and will be winners on anyone's table! Believe me, there is nothing that comes close to the taste of home canned food and preserves. Remember when you thought no one cooks like Grandma? It's true. You can't get these great tasting foods from the grocery store. It just doesn't happen.
Perfect for the newbie as well as the seasoned canner, this beautifully photographed book will delight the eyes while making the mouth water as one tries to find the perfect recipe to start with. There are so many to choose from ranging from the everyday Strawberry Jam to some of the more unusual recipes like Eggplant Caponata and Georgia Peach and Basil Preserves.
The book is well written with clear and concise instructions. It has canning safety information and USDA recommendations and seems to have food safety well covered. I love the stories of the blue ribbon winners that have been included throughout the book and especially love the serving suggestions that are included with the recipes. It's nice knowing how to use these more unusual recipes once you've put them up. At the end of the book are secrets for canning for competition for those that want to "show off" their talents.
This is a wonderful book that would be a well-used addition to any canning library. Make sure to add it to your must haves - you won't be sorry that you did!!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.
Nowhere to Be Found
This novelette is a fast yet very powerful read. It is in a sense sad and depressing, but at the same time quite eye-opening as this unnamed young woman takes you through her life of poverty. It is raw and unnerving at times and and makes the reader think of how this existence could be acceptable to live. I questioned why she didn't leave and why she took the abuse of her mother and her other relationships.It is hard to say I enjoyed this book as it is haunting and depressing - as it seems odd that one could enjoy something of that nature. This story is well written and appears to be well translated. It is gripping and quite different than most novels I read.
If you want to get a good look inside the life of a poverty stricken woman in Korea, this is certainly a story that will do it. It is at times difficult to read, but the insight and the story is well worth the effort. I highly recommend "Nowhere to Be Found" to anyone that enjoys translated novels, modern literature and just outright gritty and realistic stories.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.
The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress
A truly fun read, The Captain's Bluestocking Mistress is full of humor and revolves around one thing: Jane Downing wants to lose her virginity, and with the man she admires most. This Bluestocking spinster plans out how she is going to go about doing this and she will stop at nothing to get it - no matter how much Captain Xavier Grey protests.This easy and fun read is the second book of the Dukes of War series, but so far, each can be read as a stand alone.
Warning - this is an adult book with adult themes and includes descriptive sex.
Disclosure: I received this book to honestly review. All opinions are my own.
Frugal Living Made Simple: Easy, Painless Ways to Simplify, Cut Back, and Reach Financial Freedom
A nice short overview telling how to cut costs of living and save money. This is quite basic with some great recipes included to make household and beauty items. Just by following Allison's simple recommendations, one should be able to get of of the paycheck to paycheck trap.
The Dead I Know
Aaron Rowe is a likable but truly haunted kid. He walks in his sleep and has terrible nightmares that he can't get rid of. The only thing that Aaron seems to be able to identify with and find comfort from are the dead that he works with. You see, Aaron is apprenticing to become a funeral director and even though he has a hard time with things from time to time, he is good at it and seems to really understand life and death. Yet, something still haunts him to the point of putting him in dangerous predicaments.I adored Aaron from the beginning. I guess there is something about one being broken that makes me just attach to the character. He is a likable guy and he seems to try doing his best for others, including his grandmother who suffers from dementia.In this great coming of age story, Aaron finds that no matter how hard he tries to hold things together, things start unraveling and he can't control the outcome. As secrets surface and control goes away, he finally learns about just being human.
This is a great story for anyone who loves young adult and darker stories with some dark humor. The Dead I Know is not just for teens but will appeal to the adult audience as well.
I enjoyed this book from beginning to ending. It was fast paced, had a decent story line and had an ending that made me a bit misty-eyed, but it had a more descriptive sex scene than I really wanted. For me, a little description and a lot of imagination are much more pleasing.
With that said, I still enjoyed the story and will be looking forward to reading more of Ridley's books in the future. She has some great characters that I thoroughly enjoyed, including the total heartthrob, Oliver York. Now, if he was only real...
A translated German tale that illustrates a lesson about how a small act of kindness can really mean a great deal. This short, well written story is definitely worth downloading. I am certainly going to look for more books by Ebers.
Please note that even though most of the story centers around Heaven, Hell, angels, death and the Savior, this one may conflict with the salvation view.
