Sara Reads Things

Its Monday... Again... This last week has been hell on wheels. We've been running and running. Things keep happening and not all of it was been fun. My youngest is recovering from his throat bleed last weekend. He has more energy and his color is back. That was a scary one. Wonder what its all going to cost me? This weeks book is Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. Its been on my TBR pile the longest and I've been trying to read some of my back log. I loved the movie and so far the book is wonderful, even though I'm only 10% of the way through. Have you read this book? Let me know what you think. This weeks menu is delicious so enjoy! Monday -  Steak Marsala Risotto   Tuesday -  Chipotle Chicken Bowls Wednesday -  Chicken Fajitas   Thursday - Cheese Burger Flatbread   Friday -  Guacamole Chicken Sandwiches   Saturday - Chicken and Ranch Wrap Sunday -  Leftovers Night

Title: Life Doesn't Frighten Me By: Maya Angelou Genre: Picture Book Pages: 32 Release Date: February 6th, 1993 Publisher:  Harry N. Abrams Summary from Goodreads:  "Shadows on the wall Noises down the hall Life doesn't frighten me at all” Maya Angelou's brave, defiant poem celebrates the courage within each of us, young and old. From the scary thought of panthers in the park to the unsettling scene of a new classroom, fearsome images are summoned and dispelled by the power of faith in ourselves. Angelou's strong words are matched by the daring vision of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose childlike style reveals the powerful emotions and fanciful imaginings of childhood. Together, Angelou's words and Basquiat's paintings create a place where every child, indeed every person, may experience his or her own fearlessness. In this brilliant introduction to poetry and contemporary art, brief biographies of Angelou and Ba...

Title: Gregor the Overlander By: Suzanne Collins Genre: Urban Fantasy Pages: 326 Release Date: September 1st, 2003 Publisher:  Scholastic Summary from Goodreads:  This irresistible first novel tells the story of a quiet boy who embarks on a dangerous quest in order to fulfill his destiny -- and find his father -- in a strange world beneath New York City. When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland's uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it -- until he realizes it's the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever. Add on Goodreads Review: Be...

Its Monday again! Happy after Easter. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Mine was full of family and lots of delicious food. The boys got to see an entire wall made out of peeps. I had to remind the boys not to lick the wall. Its amazing that I have to say things like that, but such is life. This weeks book is going to be Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. To tell you the truth, I've already started the book and I'm about 20% of the way through it. I'm not a fan of Gaiman's writing style, but this one is not too bad... so far... We shall see. Stay tuned for a review. Lets get on to the weekly menu. Enjoy! Monday -  Chicken with Creamy Parmesan Linguine Tuesday -  Peppercorn Crusted Sirloin   Wednesday -  Za'atar Chicken and Couscous Thursday -  BBQ Steak Sandwiches   Friday -  Chipotle Chicken Bowls   Saturday - Steak Marsala Risotto   Sunday -  Leftovers Night

Title: We The Animals By: Justin Torres Genre: Autobiography Pages: 128 Release Date: August 30th, 2011 Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Summary from Goodreads:  An exquisite, blistering debut novel. Three brothers tear their way through childhood — smashing tomatoes all over each other, building kites from trash, hiding out when their parents do battle, tiptoeing around the house as their mother sleeps off her graveyard shift. Paps and Ma are from Brooklyn — he’s Puerto Rican, she’s white — and their love is a serious, dangerous thing that makes and unmakes a family many times. Life in this family is fierce and absorbing, full of chaos and heartbreak and the euphoria of belonging completely to one another. From the intense familial unity felt by a child to the profound alienation he endures as he begins to see the world, this beautiful novel reinvents the coming-of-age story in a way that is sly and punch-in-the-stomach powerful. Written in magical la...

Title: The Kiss Quotient By: Helen Hoang Genre: Romance Pages: 317 Release Date: June 5th, 2018 Publisher:  Berkley Summary from Goodreads:  A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick. Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old. It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from forep...

Monday! Here we are again. Youngest son is going to have surgery on his nose, throat and ears this week. He will have tubes put in his ears to drain the fluid that keeps building up and causing him to go deaf. He is going to have his adenoids take out to help with his breathing through his nose and swallowing, and he will have his tonsils removed so he can breath better at night. All of this will be done at the same time, poor little guy. He is going to be miserable for a while, but the benefits in the long run will be amazing. I can't wait for him to hear better. This weeks book is The Passage by Justin Gronin. I really liked the show and now that I am reading the book, I'm finding that the book is much different than the show. I'm not sure if its in a good way or a bad way yet, but I'm only about 25% of the way through the book and haven't gotten to the good parts yet. We shall see. Stay tuned. This weeks menu looks delicious so please, enjoy!  Monday...

Title: In An Absent Dream By: Seanan McGuire Genre: Fantasy Pages: 203 Release Date: January 8th, 2019 Publisher:  Tor.com Summary from Goodreads:  This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should. When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well. Add on Goodreads Review: This story blew me away. I always love this author and the stories that come from their mind, but this story had a little bit of a creepy mystery to it that really kept me on the edge of my seat. At first, you are rooting for the main character. you want her to run back to the doorway, ...

Title: Shrill By: Lindy West Genre: Non-Fiction Pages: 260 Release Date: May 17th, 2016 Publisher:  Hachette Summary from Goodreads:  Coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible--like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you--writer and humorist Lindy West quickly discovered that she was anything but.   From a painfully shy childhood in which she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her big body and even bigger opinions; to her public war with stand-up comedians over rape jokes; to her struggle to convince herself, and then the world, that fat people have value; to her accidental activism and never-ending battle royale with Internet trolls, Lindy narrates her life with a blend of humor and pathos that manages to make a trip to the abortion clinic funny and wring tears out of a story about diarrhea. With inimitable good humor, vulnerability, and boundless charm, Lindy boldly shares how to survive in a w...

Hello Monday! My oldest is back from outdoor school. Its nice to have all my little chickadees under one roof again. He said he had a good time, but was glad to be back home. I don't blame him. After five days of being away from home, I'm always glad to be back too.  This weeks book is going to be The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. I really enjoyed another book of her's so I thought I would try this one. We shall see if I like it. I've heard that Ms. Morton is a one trick pony and all of her books have the same story line. What are your thoughts? I'm excited for this weeks menu, so get out there and cook some food. Enjoy! Monday -  French Onion Chicken Tuesday -  Caprese Burgers   Wednesday -  Chipotle Ranch Chicken Salad Thursday -  Green Chili Steak Sandwich Friday -  Crispy Onion Chicken Saturday - Taco night Sunday -  Leftovers Night

Title: Mortal Engines Genre: Dystopian Release Date: December 14th, 2018   Rating: 6.2/10 IMDB Cast:  Hera Hilmar ,  Robert Sheehan ,  Hugo Weaving Summary from IMDB:  In a post-apocalyptic world where cities ride on wheels and consume each other to survive, two people meet in London and try to stop a conspiracy. IMDB Trailer Review: I've read the book and now I've seen the movie. The book was great in my opinion and if you want to read my review, follow this link .  There were some terrible reviews of this movie when it was first released last year, I can see why... to a point, but I think there was something wonderful about this movie still that makes it worth watching.  The characters all have a purpose, no matter how small it might be. They were wonderful. What could have been improved upon was their back story. We really didn't get the sense of why the characters were as colorful as they were. I think that had a lot...

Another month down. I know I probably say this every wrap up, but I can't believe its April already. There were so many great books last month that I am excited to recap with you. Did you have a favorite book that you read last month? Share you reads with me in the comments. Big Little Lies -  Big Little Lies   follows three women, each at a crossroads: Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest ( how  is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?). Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys...