Sara Reads Things

  Hello Monday! We are back. I've noticed the days are getting longer, but definitely not warmer. Its been a cool 40 degrees during the day. I know that's not as cold as some parts of the country right now, but I don't like to be cold. This weeks book is The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix. This author was the one who started me on my reading journey and I'm always excited to get my hands on anything that he has coming out. Yay! Lets get on with this weeks menu. Enjoy!  WEEKLY MENU   Monday Chicken Fajitas Mexican Rice   Tuesday Cheese Burgers Corn and Avocado Salad   Wednesday Spaghetti Garlic Bread   Thursday Oriental Salad   Friday Roasted Bratwurst and Peppers   Saturday Pesto Eggs   Sunday Leftovers Night

  Hello Sunday! Lets recap the blog happenings from the last week. Sunday Confessions #132 ~ Weekly Menu #440 And The Book Of The Week ~ Cooking with my Husband - Part 1 ~ Book Review: Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson ~ Throwback Thursday - The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame ~ Book Review: In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power Weekly Menu #441 And The Book Of The Week ~ Wrap Up January 2022 ~ Book Review: Undeniable by Bill Nye ~ Book Review: Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan ~ Sunday Confessions #134 Other than working through the behemoth Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon, I'm also reading another book in my Star Wars journey, Triple Zero by Karen Traviss. The Kenobi TV series is right around the corner and I must catch up to that part of the timeline before I watch the show. I must... Or, not because I will watch it either way. I've been listening to a very odd mix lately of the Encanto, Deadpool, Guardians of the Galaxy and Suicide Squad soundtr...

  Title: In a Garden Burning Gold By: Rory Power Genre: Fantasy Pages: 432 Release Date: April 5th, 2022 Publisher: Del Rey Rating: ★★★☆☆   Summary from Goodreads: Twins imbued with incredible magic and near-immortality will do anything to keep their family safe—even if it tears the siblings apart—in the first book of a mythic epic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls. Rhea and her twin brother, Lexos, have spent an eternity helping their father rule their small, unstable country, using their control over the seasons, tides, and stars to keep the people in line. For a hundred years, they've been each other's only ally, defending each other and their younger siblings against their father's increasingly unpredictable anger. Now, with an independence movement gaining ground and their father's rule weakening, the twins must take matters into their own hands to keep their family—and their entire world—from crashing down around them. But other na...

  Its Throwback Thursday! This is the part where I review the oldest book on my read list. This weeks book is over 100 years old, and frankly it should probably be berried as I hated it. Read on. Title: Wind in the Willows By: Kenneth Grahame Genre: Childrens Pages: 197 Release Date: 1908 Publisher: Penguin Books Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆   Summary from Goodreads: For more than a century, The Wind in the Willows and its endearing protagonists--Mole, Mr. Toad, Badger, and Ratty--have enchanted children of all ages. Whether the four friends are setting forth on an exciting adventure, engaging in a comic caper, or simply relaxing by the River Thames, their stories are among the most charming in all English literature.   Add on Goodreads   Review: DNF 66 % I really couldn't with this book. Not sure if it was the old writing style, the bland uninteresting story or the fact that I probably wasn't in the mood for an old book like this, but I couldn't get through it. It was probably a b...

Title: Black Cake By: Charmaine Wilkerson Genre: Historical Fiction Pages: 400 Release Date: February 1st, 2022 Publisher: Ballantine Books Rating: ★★★★☆   Summary from Goodreads: We can't choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become? In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett's death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child, challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage, and themselves. Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor's true history, and fulfill her final request to "share the black cake when the tim...

  I've found that my peace of mind comes from sharing the load. Both my husband and I work, and we share some of the larger chores around the house, but more often than not, the child care and meal planning and prep fall mainly on my shoulders. To take some of the load off, I often involve my husband in cooking. Not only does this give us time to talk about our days without the distractions of a screen in our faces, but we can turn on some music and act like fools. My husband has been known to shake his hips from time to time. Hey, not everyone is a former dancer. Here are a few recipes we cooked recently. Mongolian Beef This recipe from Marina over at Let the Baking Begin happens to be a winner in my house. My husband said this was the best Mongolian Beef he has ever tasted. Its stuffed full of flavor and easy to make.  Head over to Let the Baking Begin and do just that. Ground Beef Tacos Who doesn't like taco's in one form or another. Natasha at Natasha's Kitchen has ...

  Hello Monday. We are back to normal. The kids are back in school and I am back to work. Although, my oldest son has a lot of school work to catch up on and he is not happy about it. Although I am still working through Go Tell the Bees I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon, this weeks book is Triple Zero by Karen Traviss. Still working through my Star Wars books, trying to catch up to the Kenobi timeline before the TV show comes out. Lets get to this weeks menu.  WEEKLY MENU   Monday Lasagna Salad   Tuesday Chessy Beefy Tostada   Wednesday Chicken with Creamy Dijon Sauce   Thursday Apricot Pork Chops   Friday Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese   Saturday Pesto Eggs   Sunday Leftovers Night