Sweet Pepper Subs... | #WeeklyMenu Week #247


I have to admit that it is nearly 10 pm and I am beat. It's been a long day, so I'm going to keep this short. Have a great Monday and enjoy this weeks menu!



Monday
- Spaghetti 

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
Leftovers Night

Before it's too late... | From the Earth to the Shadows by Amanda Hocking


Title: From the Earth to the Shadows
By: Amanda Hocking
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Release Date: April 24th, 2018
Publisher: Wednesday Books

Summary from Goodreads: While dealing with dark revelations about her life and her world, Malin finds herself with new allies--and new enemies. Her quest for the truth leads her to places she never thought possible, and she's never been one to shy away from a fight. But for all her strength and determination, will it be enough to save the world before it's too late?



Review: Super excited to grab a copy of this book. I love anything Asguard and the Valkyries in this series are awesome. The pace was fast and furious, with a lot of action to give you the chills. At time, the story did feel a little hectic, but it was easy enough to get through. I really enjoyed this read and diving into the world of the Valkyries again. I would recommend to anyone who loves urban fantasy and Thor. 

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.




AUTHOR BIO: Amanda Hocking is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book.

Buy Links:

Social Links:
Twitter: @Amanda_Hocking



A satisfying bang | The Devil's Standoff by V.S. McGrath


The Devil’s Standoff
V. S. McGrath
(The Devil’s Revolver #2)
Publication date: April 2nd 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Welcome to the birthplace of the Devil’s Revolver, where untold danger lurks for Hettie Alabama and her companions…
The second book in the epic, magic-clad Devil’s Revolver series follows Hettie and her sister south of the Wall into Mexico, where they must unmake Hettie’s infernal mage gun while confronting a magic- and land-hungry army and a monster from hell drawn to the powers of the weapon. Hettie wants nothing more than to break her bond to the cursed Devil’s Revolver and find a way to keep her sister safe — but Abby’s indigo powers are growing stronger, and in the gated, walled village where they take refuge, nothing is exactly as it seems. Pursued by the Pinkertons, left without allies or guardians, Hettie has to rely on her own grit and determination to do the right thing, no matter the cost.
This second installment of V. S. McGrath’s sweeping and high-stakes saga draws its truly unforgettable gunslinger heroine to her limits and ends with a satisfying bang.
Grab book 1 – The Devil’s Revolver – for only $1.99!
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
EXCERPT:
By midafternoon the following day, they were in sight of the Wall’s base. The monolith stretched over the landscape like a great black viper rippling over the sand. Hettie got a strange chill just looking at it.
“The shoring crews are farther west,” Walker said, scanning the length of the Wall with narrowed eyes. “No border patrols in sight.”
“Why are they shoring up the Wall?” Hettie asked.
“Magic needs bolstering now and again,” Uncle explained. “The bigger the spell, the more magic and maintenance it needs. Nothing lasts forever.”
“Yes, but why are we fixing it from this side if it was built to keep Americans out of Mexico?”
“Walls work both ways. The folks on the losing side of the war don’t like a big old monument reminding them of their failures, so they make up their own story, make it look like we’re the ones in charge. They send out men and crews and make it seem like we’re doing something important, like we’re the ones keeping invaders out.” Uncle spat on the red earth. “Men in Washington gotta justify their wages somehow.”
“Politics aside, there’s no way for us to get through,” Walker said. “The Division and the Pinkertons will probably be looking for us at the gates.”
“So how do we get through?”
“With help.” He picked up a stick and drew several runes on the ground, whispering an incantation. Then he broke the stick in half and tossed the pieces away.
A sound like a muffled crack of thunder rolled across the land. Walker lifted his nose in the air like a hound scenting its prey. “He’s coming.”
The wind picked up, whipping dust all around them. Abby cried out and shielded her eyes, and Cymon huddled close to her, growling a warning.
Hettie put herself between her family and the rust-colored dust devil skating toward them. Walker and Uncle held their ground, unafraid even as the wind tore at their clothes and sand scoured their exposed skin. The wind died abruptly, and the swirling sand settled. From the tiny cyclone a thin man emerged, his skin dark and leathery, his face young but lined. He wore only battered leather trousers and a small vest. His neck was hung with so many charms and talismans on leather thongs, they formed a kind of shield on his chest. His hair was a matted, tangled mess festooned with bits of leaves and twigs. His eyes, the strangest shade of sulfur-yellow, glinted with devilry.
“So, the prodigal son returns.” He said it with the precise enunciation of an Englishman, surprising Hettie. “I was beginning to wonder whether you’d ever come back, Woodroffe.” He raised his eyebrow at Uncle, who stood with one hand casually resting on the grip of his holstered sidearm. “You’ve grown your family, I see.” His roving eyes landed on Abby and widened. Hettie stepped in front of her sister, propping her hands on her hips and glaring.
“We need safe passage into Mexico,” Walker said.
“Heading home, hmm? You think your people will appreciate the new additions?” He gestured at the group.
Walker growled, “What’s your price, Coyote?”
The man scratched his head and paced in a tight circle. His movements went from smooth to jerky intermittently, as if a fisherman had his limbs on a line and was trying to lure trout as he reeled the bait in. “Last time, it was just you. This lot will cost you.”
“How much?” Walker repeated tightly.
The man Walker called Coyote picked at his nails. “Six months.”
“That’s highway robbery,” the bounty hunter growled.
“I don’t have the juice to carry all of you through safely. Half of that six will probably be sapped away just moving you through the Wall.”
“You know it’s not my juice to give. Six months is impossible.”
“Then how about him?” He tipped his chin toward Uncle. “Seems you’ve got plenty to go around.”
Walker’s jaw firmed. “He’s not paying.”
“Well, if not him, the little one will do.” He smiled, his teeth surprisingly large and white. “She’s bursting with juice. I can almost taste her from here.”
Hettie had Diablo pointed at Coyote’s head before her fury registered. The derelict sorcerer stumbled back with a yelp as though he’d been smacked. “Come anywhere near my sister and I’ll blow that tongue out the back of your skull.”
“Mother of— Walker, what have you unleashed?” He looked between the bounty hunter and Hettie, hands raised. “Who is she?”
“Someone who doesn’t like you.” Walker’s lips twitched. “I’d listen to her, Coyote. She’s got an itchy trigger finger.”
“It’s not her finger I’m worried about.” His gaze stayed locked on Diablo. “Three months of juice, Walker. And only because you’re a friend.”
“Two weeks, you soul-leech.”
“Twenty days, straight from you. That’s my final offer.”
“Deal.” Walker spat in his palm and held it out. Coyote did the same, then took one of the many leather thongs from around his neck and wrapped it around his dust-covered wrist. He clasped Walker’s hand tightly, chanting in a language Hettie didn’t recognize, looping the strip of material around the bounty hunter’s forearm.
“What’s going on?” Hettie asked Uncle.
“They struck a bargain. That Coyote’s borrowing magic from Walker.”
She frowned. “But . . . what keeps him from just taking all his magic?” Her hand twitched over the ghostly form of Diablo, readying to defend the bounty hunter.
“It doesn’t work that way. Borrowing magic requires consent on both sides.” He notched his chin toward the men. “They can exchange no more, no less than what they bargained for.”
The air shifted as if the wind had momentarily changed direction. Walker gave a grunt. Coyote breathed deep. His eyes dilated, and he threw his head back, mouth slightly open. Hettie could’ve sworn she saw him inhaling a wisp of bluish smoke. He held it and then released, shoulders sagging. His spine loosened, and he smiled as his eyes went back to normal.
“Ohhh.” He reached for Walker and made to embrace him, but the much taller, much broader man pushed him away and hastily untangled the thong from around his arm. Dark bags hung beneath Walker’s eyes. Coyote laughed. “Gonna be a shame to give up all that lovely juice. Such a delicacy . . . ”
“Just get us across the Wall,” the bounty hunter grumbled. “And do it before I let the girl shoot you.”
“Of course, of course, a bargain is a bargain.” He scooped the ropes of talismans off his neck and laid them on the ground. They weren’t individual necklaces, but one long rope looped multiple times around him. He arranged the hoops on the ground.
“Bigger,” Walker instructed. “The horses and the dog are coming with us.”
Coyote looked like he was about to protest, but glanced once more at Hettie and reworked the rope pattern. Soon he had a wide circle of leather on the ground.
“I’ve never encountered a mage gun like that,” he said without looking at her. “Metals have an odd effect on my spells. Unless you want to get stuck in the Wall and become a permanent part of the masonry, you ought to leave it behind.”
“She’s not leaving it behind for you to put your grubby hands on,” Walker snapped.
A lump formed in Hettie’s stomach. “Is that a risk? Can we get stuck?”
“Stuck?” Coyote’s yellow eyes flashed, and he bared his teeth in a rictus of a grin. “It’s worse than that. If anything disturbs the spell on either side of the tunnel, matter will resolve around you, in you, turning you slowly and excruciatingly into part of it. I know men who’ve screamed for days as they turned to stone. Sometimes the patrol captures people trying to cross the border and melds them into the Wall halfway, leaving their limbs sticking out, wiggling to warn away others.”
Abby squeaked. Coyote chuckled lowly. “That won’t happen, little one. Your uncle Coyote will not fail you.”
“Where’s the exit point?” Uncle asked. He’d been silent up to now, which was odd for him. He usually tried to take charge wherever possible.
“A day’s ride from Villa del Punta. You know, for the very low cost of three months, I could drop you right in the center of the village. I have an aperture hidden away there. Not even Raúl can find it.”
Walker glared at him, and Coyote laughed. “I’m kidding. I thought you would appreciate the joke.”
“So . . . is this like a Zoom tunnel?” Hettie asked.
“It’s nothing like the Zooms,” Coyote said, irritated. “Zooms can’t go through the Wall. This is a spell I made all by myself. It’s the only way to get through the Wall around here, unless you’d rather go through one of the gates.” He eyed them speculatively. “Which I very much doubt. Only the most desperate of fugitives summon the Coyote.”
“Are you sure this is safe?” Hettie asked Uncle quietly. She glanced at Abby, who’d been watching the strange man as intently as a jackrabbit sensing a nearby predator.
“As safe as walking through solid matter is for anyone, I reckon.” Jeremiah scratched his nose. “Is this a drop and swim?”
“Ah, you’ve done this before.” Coyote peered at him, then blinked. “Do I know you?”
“Doubt it.” He looked away and kicked his toe in the dust. “Well, what’re we waiting for?”
“Hettie, stay close to Abby, but don’t hold hands.” Walker pushed them together. “You’re going to jump in after me—Abby first, then Hettie, the horses and Cymon, and then JB. Whatever you do, keep moving. It’ll feel strange at first, but don’t stop, or you might get stuck.”
Abby stared at the loop, her gaze blank. Hettie tapped her shoulder, and her sister blinked slowly up at her. “Like swimming,” she said dreamily.
A shiver skated down Hettie’s spine.


Author Bio:
Vicki So, writing as V. S. McGrath, is a published romance author (as Vicki Essex) and has six books with Harlequin Superromance: Her Son’s Hero (July 2011); Back to the Good Fortune Diner (January 2013), which was picked for the Smart Bitches Trashy Books Sizzling Book Club; In Her Corner (March 2014); A Recipe for Reunion (March 2015); Red Carpet Arrangement (January 2016); and Matinees with Miriam (November 2016). She lives in Toronto, Canada.

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Time is running out | ISAN by Mary Ting


ISAN
Mary Ting
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: May 1st 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
SCIENTISTS WARNED IT WOULD HAPPEN.
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into our quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.
Struggling to survive, seventeen-year-old Ava ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. The results will be life changing. The serum will make her “better.” To receive the serum, Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.
While on a mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out.
EXCERPT:
When the bodyguard with the gun directed the weapon at Roxy, something dangerous ignited in me knowing my team would be next. This foreign existence in my core wanted blood. It wanted death. It wanted destruction. I became a monster. Helix transformed me into a shallow shell to servitude—a perfect model of ISAN assassin.
I pulled my gun from the side of my boot and took aim. The bodyguard who had shot Roxy’s team went down first, followed by the others.
Don’t look at their faces. Don’t make eye contact. But I did look at their faces, and I did make eye contact.
Each guard held my foster father’s cruel face, his steel malevolent eyes. I saw the man who ripped the happiness out of my soul, who towered over me into submission, and molded me into a terrified little girl. For a heartbeat I froze, knees buckling, heart palpitating with trepidation and regret. I became that little girl. A rat, he had called me, and beat me until I stopped crying from missing my mother.
No more. No more. I am no longer that petrified girl.
Then, one after the other, as hunger for revenge drove me, as if each of the men was him, I shot them until they were all down.


Author Bio:
International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

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Shake it up! | #WeeklyMenu Week #246



Woop Woop, Monday! We are on the count down to summer. The weather is warming up and the sun has been out for a few days. I love sitting on my front porch in my swing with a warm blanket and a good book. To bad, that never happens. I'm always too busy.

This week has been spring cleaning. Bathroom, kitchen, living room. It's all been cleaned. There is still a lot to do, but it will never end, so what do I care, ha. 

Enjoy this weeks menu! 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
Leftovers Night

One will wear the crown | Eden Conquered by Joelle Charbonneau



Title: Eden Conquered
By: Joelle Charbonneau
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 320
Release Date: June 5th, 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary from Goodreads: The electrifying conclusion to the Dividing Eden series by the New York Times bestselling author of the Testing trilogy, Joelle Charbonneau.

The Trials of Virtuous Succession have ended. Prince Andreus is king—and Princess Carys is dead.

But even as he’s haunted by what he did to win the throne, Andreus discovers that his dream of ruling only brings new problems. The people love his twin even more in death than they did when she was alive. The Elders treat him as a figurehead. And worst of all, the winds of Eden are faltering.

But despite what everyone believes, Carys is alive. Exiled to the wilderness, Carys struggles to control the powers that have broken free inside her. And as she grows stronger, so does her conviction that she must return to the Palace of Winds, face her twin and root out the treachery that began long before the first Trials started.

The Kingdom of Eden is growing darker with each passing day. Brother and sister, former foes, must decide whether some betrayals cut too deep to be forgiven—and whether one will wear the crown or both will lose everything.



Review: This amazing sequel to one of my favorite books so far this year has blown me away. I loved the first book when we started to know the twins Andreus and Carys and their plight that tore them apart. In this second installment, we find out just how far their love as siblings will go. Can they withstand the lies that have shaped their world, or will they be able to break through the walls of power and find that the only people they can trust are each other?

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.



Blue Apron Week | #WeeklyMenu Week #245


So, I've been sneaking around the internet, and looking at the recipes on those food box sites. This week was Blue Apron. They have some delicious looking dinners that I can't wait to try. I love that I can access their recipes without having to buy their boxes. I couldn't afford that, especially since my kids don't eat half of what I make. Why waist the money.

Enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
Leftovers Night

Destroy the crown from within | City of Bastards by Andrew Shvarts



Title: City of Bastards
By: Andrew Shvarts
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 320
Release Date: June 5th, 2018
Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Summary from Goodreads: While war rages in her Western homeland, Tilla, the bastard daughter of House Kent is far away, safely cloistered as a ward of the King in Lightspire. She's best friends with the Princess, treated like nobility, and is even given a spot at the prestigious University, where only the Kingdom's finest are educated. And yet, she finds herself unhappy, haunted by memories of her beloved brother, Jax, and plagued by a deeper sense of uncertainty, of not fitting in. Her boyfriend, Zell, who is now a recruit for the City Watch, puts on a brave face to hide the pain of leaving behind his Zitochi identity, while Princess Lyriana, stripped of her role as Mage, has begun rebelling against her conservative upbringing: drinking, partying, and hooking up with random boys. Then, Tilla returns to her quarters one night to find the cold body of her roommate. The school and the police are quick to rule it a suicide and sweep it under the rug, but Tilla doesn't buy it. And despite the urging of just about everyone in her life, she can't let it go. Tilla's hunt for the killer plunges her deep into the city's underbelly, a world of shadowy cults, forbidden magic, and a conspiracy to destroy the crown from within. 



Review: I really enjoyed the first book in Shvarts' series. It was unique and the author wasn't afraid to take risks and dive into the nitty gritty. This book though, fell a little short for me. It gave me the impression that it was a royal coming of age book, instead of the struggles of a bastards life. Think the Selection by Kiera Cass. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first, only because I was expecting one thing and got another.   

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

The White Fish and His Daddy by Guido Genechten



Title: The White Fish and His Daddy
By: Guido Genechten
Genre: Picture Book
Pages: 24
Release Date: May 21st, 2019
Publisher: Clavis

Summary from Goodreads: Little White Fish has a lot of friends. And they all have amazing daddies. Little Sea Horse's dad is really fast. Little Whale's dad is the biggest in the ocean. But, of course Little White Fish's daddy is very good at something, too! A heartwarming story for Father's Day, and every day, for ages 2.5 and up.



Review: If my four year old loves a book, then I love a book. What draws us in, are the wonderful pictures and the fun stories. This book had great art. My little one kept pausing and looking over each page to make sure he didn't miss a detail. The story was fun, but the one thing that seemed strange was the abrupt ending. Either way, we read the book several times.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Before her own mind destroys her | Before Mars by Emma Newman



Title: Before Mars
By: Emma Newman
Genre: Scifi
Pages: 320
Release Date: April 17th, 2018
Publisher: 2018 by Ace

Summary from Goodreads: After months of travel, Anna Kubrick finally arrives on Mars for her new job as a geologist and de facto artist-in-residence. Already she feels like she is losing the connection with her husband and baby at home on Earth--and she'll be on Mars for over a year. Throwing herself into her work, she tries her best to fit in with the team.

But in her new room on the base, Anna finds a mysterious note written in her own handwriting, warning her not to trust the colony psychologist. A note she can't remember writing. She unpacks her wedding ring, only to find it has been replaced by a fake. 

Finding a footprint in a place the colony AI claims has never been visited by humans, Anna begins to suspect that her assignment isn't as simple as she was led to believe. Is she caught up in an elaborate corporate conspiracy, or is she actually losing her mind? Regardless of what horrors she might discover, or what they might do to her sanity, Anna has find the truth before her own mind destroys her.


Review: I'm finding that scifi these days are running together. Its hard for me to get into something that seems like it has been done a million times. With this book, I felt like it was the same old same old. I was neither here nor there with it and frankly, I can't even give a good review, because I wasn't invested in the story.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.



Fading by Cindy Cipriano #BlogTour


Fading
Cindy Cipriano
(The Fading Series, #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: April 10th 2018
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Leath Elliott is a seventeen-year-old competitive shooter living with her mother in Woodvine, North Carolina. Leath’s father was killed in a tragic accident when she was fourteen, and her friend Victor Santana has been there for her every step of the way since. But the friendship starts to change when Victor develops deeper feelings for her. If that wasn’t complicated enough, newcomer James Turner, an emancipated minor with a dark past, wanders into her sights. Leath is captivated by him and wonders if he might be the boy of her dreams—literally.
Fading is the first book in an exciting new fantasy romance series by award-winning author Cindy Cipriano.
GUEST POST BY CINDY CIPRIANO
Thanks for hosting me today. I’m thrilled to be here to talk about my new paranormal romance, Fading, and pass on some tips I’ve learned in my journey as an author. First, a little about Fading, which is the first book in The Fading Series.
Fading
Seventeen-year-old, Leath Elliott lives with her mother in the microscopic town of Woodvine, North Carolina. Leath’s father was killed in a tragic accident when she was fourteen, and her friend Victor Santana has been there for her every step of the way since. But the friendship starts to change when Victor develops deeper feelings for Leath. If that wasn’t complicated enough, newcomer James Turner, an emancipated minor with a dark past, wanders into her sights. Leath is captivated by him and wonders if he might be the boy of her dreams—literally.
Fading – Insider Info (or as much as I can tell you)
I often think of Fading as the VLJ story. As in Victor-Leath-James.
Being in love is wonderful, heartwarming, and can leave you breathless. But, sometimes, it is so confusing! If you have ever loved two people at the same time, you can relate to what Leath is going through in Fading. Although some readers have expressed their choice (Victor or James), many feel the way the same way Leath does; she loves them both.
As Leath soon learns, decisions of the heart are not always clear or easy to make. Thank goodness, she has best-friend, Anamae, to help her navigate the waters. On second thought, the word, “help,” might be a bit of a stretch
Feeling Extra? Readers are often surprised to learn that one of the settings in Fading is a real place. Judaculla Rock is a 2,000-3,000 year-old petroglyph located in western North Carolina. Several legends surround the origin of the rock as well as the images that are carved into its surface. I’ve had the opportunity to visit Judaculla Rock a few times and have really enjoyed incorporating this setting into Fading.
Which brings me to writing.
I’m often asked if I have any tips for new writers. The best suggestion I have is to join a critique group.
Now.
No, wait. Join one yesterday.
Learning how to give and receive thoughtful criticism will make your writing stronger. Writing is often an isolated endeavor. Being a part of a critique group helps foster a sense of community. It’s great having someone to turn to when you need to bounce ideas around. And, having a group discussion about your writing will help you see your story from a different perspective.
I’m also asked about the editing process. I’ll leave you with my best tip for editing.
Read your entire manuscript aloud. That really helps you notice mistakes and helps you smooth out the rough spots. If necessary, I suggest you record yourself as you read aloud the more difficult sections.
–Cindy Cipriano
–Please visit www.cindycipriano.com to learn more about Fading.


Author Bio:
Cindy Cipriano lives in North Carolina with her husband, son and their 27 pets.
Not really.
Just three dogs who think they are children and three cats who think they are raccoons. It only seems as if they make 27. When Cindy isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and the avoidance of cooking.
Cindy's first novel, The Circle, Book One of The Sidhe won the 2014 Moonbeam Children's Book Silver Award for Pre-Teen Fiction - Fantasy. Other titles in the series include The Choice, Book Two of The Sidhe (2015) and The Lost, Book Three of The Sidhe (2017). This seven-book series is published by Odyssey Books.
Miller's Island Mysteries #1 The Case of the Toxic River (2017) is the first in her eleven-book science mystery series (Vulpine Press). #2 The Case of the Catalyst will release in 2018.
Look for Fading, the first in her young adult series, in April 2018. (Clean Teen Publishing). Fading is the tale of first loves and the consequence of dreaming up Mr. Right.

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The joy of new recipes | #WeeklyMenu Week #244



So, I found a new site full of delicious looking recipes, and I know you're supposed to buy their pre-made boxes, but seriously. I don't need a box of produce shipped to my door every week to know how to pick a good avocado. Even though I'm not ordering these meals, the recipes look amazing. You should see my produce list this week, its huge!

I made some progress on my writing this week. I'm up to chapter 35. Its a first draft, but its coming along nicely. I'm coming to the end and I'm really excited to get into edits.

Enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
Leftovers Night

The games have only just begun | Legendary by Stephanie Garber



Title: Legendary
By: Stephanie Garber
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 416
Release Date: May 29th, 2018
Publisher: Flatiron Books

Summary from Goodreads: Stephanie Garber’s limitless imagination takes flight once more in the colorful, mesmerizing, and immersive sequel to the bestselling breakout debut Caraval

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...the games have only just begun.



Review: I wish I could say that I loved it as much as I did Caraval, but I can't. As a story on its own it was good, but sadly, not the magical world of Caraval that I loved. If I had read it as a stand alone, or the first book in a series, I think I might have had a different opinion... But I didn't... Don't get me wrong though, the story was great and we were still immersed in the world we loved with the characters we loved, but the vibe was different for me.

I will still give this book four stars because I really did enjoy it although I was disappointed. 

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.





Geary and Darcy may not survive it... | Ascendant by Jack Campbell



Title: Ascendant
By: Jack Campbell
Genre: Sci-fi
Pages: 336
Release Date: May 15th, 2018
Publisher: Ace

Summary from Goodreads: A young fleet officer and a Marine stand together to defend their colony in the continuation of the powerful and action-packed Genesis Fleet saga from New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell.

In the three years since former fleet officer Rob Geary and former Marine Mele Darcy led improvised forces to repel attacks on the newly settled world of Glenlyon, tensions have only gotten worse.

When one of Glenlyon's warships is blown apart trying to break the blockade that has isolated the world from the rest of human-colonized space, only the destroyer Saber remains to defend it from another attack. Geary's decision to take Saber to the nearby star Kosatka to safeguard a diplomatic mission is a risky interpretation of his orders, to say the least.

Kosatka has been fighting a growing threat from so-called rebels--who are actually soldiers from aggressive colonies. When a "peacekeeping force" carrying thousands of enemy soldiers arrives in Kosatka's star system, the people of that world, including Lochan Nakamura and former "Red" Carmen Ochoa, face an apparently hopeless battle to retain their freedom. 

It's said that the best defense is a good offense. But even if a bold and risky move succeeds, Geary and Darcy may not survive it...



Review: I was a fan of the first book and I am a fan of this second book. Jack Campbell has a way of bringing something so colorful to life that I can imagine myself in this world he has created. This story is another heart stopping sci-fi with wonderful characters and unique space battles. I really go into this one and I know you will too.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.