Sara Reads Things

  Title: Izzy at the End of the World By: K.A. Reynolds Genre: Dystopian/Scifi Pages: 352 Release Date: February 21st, 2023 Publisher: Clarion Books Rating: ★★★★★   Summary from Goodreads: The Last Kids on Earth   meets Margaret Peterson Haddix   in this middle grade adventure about fourteen-year-old Izzy, an autistic girl surviving the end of the world who must team up with her loveable dog to uncover the hidden truth behind her family and the rest of humanity's disappearance. Ever since Izzy Wilder's mom died, she's wanted life to feel normal. She plays video games with her little sister, helps her grandparents around the house, and takes care of her best dog, Akka. But losing her mom is far from normal, and for Izzy, who is autistic, it feels like the end of the world. When mysterious lights flash across the mountains outside Izzy's house one night, and suddenly everyone except her and Akka seem to have disappeared in an instant, Izzy is more alone than ever. But ...

Title: Adorable Art Class By: Jesi Rodgers Genre: Non Fiction Pages: 140 Release Date: January 1st, 2023 Publisher: Rock Point Rating: ★★★★★   Summary from Goodreads: "Adorable Art Class is your step-by-step guide to creating super-cute illustrations of everyday objects using a range of techniques and mediums, from pencil sketching to marker coloring"--   Add on Goodreads   Review: This is one of the most adorable art books I've seen. I loved each and every one of the characters and spent a lot of time sifting through the pages and smiling. I'm not an artist myself, but I did find myself sketching a pretty funny little taco. Turned out pretty good if I say so myself.  My 9 year old even sat down with me and tried his hand at drawing a taco. The step by step instructions were easy enough for my kiddo.   Now that I have several cute characters all over my office, I'm a happy camper. Loved this book.  Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair...

  Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. It was a bit cold here in the PNW and I was afraid we would have to make other plans to see family with the roads a literal sheet of ice, but somehow we made things work. This weeks read is Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio. I do love a good memoir, so here goes nothing. Stay tuned for an update. Lets get to this weeks menu. Enjoy! WEEKLY MENU Monday French Onion French Dip Sandwiches Kids - Grilled Cheese   Tuesday Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Kids - Mac and Cheese   Wednesday Spaghetti Night Kids - Chicken Ramen   Thursday Oven Roasted Bratwurst Kids - Chicken Nugget Kabobs   Friday Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken Club Kids - Chicken and Biscuits   Saturday Chili Cheese Fries Kids - Fries and Cheese   Sunday Leftovers Night

  Hello Sunday! Its Christmas and you're lucky enough to find yourself here, I hope your day has been filled with joy. I'm away with my family, drinking hot chocolate and watching my boys open their presents. Lets recap the week. Sunday Confessions #178 ~ Weekly Menu #486 And The Book Of The Week ~ Book Review: Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne ~ Book Review: The Ferryman by Justin Cronin Weekly Menu #487 And The Book Of The Week ~ Book Review: Adorable Art Class by Jesi Rodgers ~  Book Review: Izzy at the End of the World by K.A. Reynolds ~ Sunday Confessions #180 The Sporty One: My Life as a Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm An intimate memoir from international pop star Melanie Chisholm--better known as Mel C. or Sporty Spice--chronicling her trajectory from small-town girl to overnight icon as part of the Spice Girls. 25 years ago, The Spice Girls, a girl band that began after five women answered an ad in the paper, released their first single. 'Wannabe' became a hit and f...

  Title: The Ferryman By: Justin Cronin Genre: Scifi Pages: 560 Release Date: May 2nd, 2023 Publisher: Ballantine Books Rating: ★★★★☆   Summary from Goodreads: Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera's lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh. Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process--and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he's been dreaming--...

  Title: Pride and Protest By: Nikki Payne Genre: Romance Pages: 416 Release Date: November 15th, 2022 Publisher: Berkley Books Rating: ★★★★☆   Summary from Goodreads: A woman goes head-to-head with the CEO of a corporation threatening to destroy her neighborhood in this fresh and modern retelling of  Pride and Prejudice   by debut author Nikki Payne. Liza B.--the only DJ who gives a jam--wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly--but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she'll settle for getting him out of her head. At first, Dorsey writes off Liza Bennett as more interested in  performing  outrage than acting on it. As the adopted Filipino son...

  Hello Sunday! We have woken up to frozen streets and Ice covered cars the last few mornings. Its been extremally cold and my little toes are not liking it, lol. We survived though, and now the kids are out of school for the holidays and there might be snow in the forecast. Crossing my fingers. This weeks read is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This book is on both my Gilmore Girls reading list and my 100 books before you die reading list. Killing two birds with one stone. Lets get to this weeks menu. Enjoy! WEEKLY MENU Monday Creamy Cajun Chicken Soup Kids - Mac and Cheese   Tuesday French Onion French Dip Sandwiches Kids - Grilled Cheese   Wednesday Chicken with Creamy Dijon Sauce Kids - Chicken Nuggets and Potatoes   Thursday Instant Pot Cajun Alfredo Kids - Chicken Ramen   Friday Ground Beef Tacos Kids - Cheese Quesadillas   Saturday English Muffin Pizzas   Sunday Leftovers Night

  Hello Sunday! We are one week closer to Christmas. Are you ready? I'm pretty sure I'm read. Maybe... Can you really be read for Christmas? I think not. Either way, I'm ready for it to be over. Lets just say that. Lets recap the week. Here we go! Sunday Confessions #177 ~ Weekly Menu #485 And The Book Of The Week ~ Recipe: Cowboy Caviar ~ Book Review: The Maze Cutter by James Dashner ~ Movie Review: Three Thousand Years of Longing ~ Book Review: Waypoints by Sam Heughen Weekly Menu #486 And The Book Of The Week ~ Book Review: Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne ~ Book Review: The Ferryman by Justin Cronin ~ Sunday Confessions #179 Winter, White and Wicked Shannon Dittemore Winter doesn't like the smuggler who's come to Whistlestop. She doesn't trust him, doesn't want me to take this job. Twice-orphaned Sylvi has chipped out a niche for herself on Layce, an island cursed by eternal winter. Alone in her truck, she takes comfort in two things: the solitude of the...