PERFECT SUMMER READING - BOOK REVIEWS

I was blessed to have the opportunity to read several books in exchange for reviews. Here they all are-the perfect summer reading!

Hawaiian Masquerade Rachelle J. Christensen
Hawaiian Masquerade was a wonderful book! I greatly enjoyed it. Between the amazing descriptions and the interesting, engaging characters in the book, I wanted to hop a plane for Kauai! Hopefully we get to hear more from the secondary characters in other Destination Billionaire Romances. Lexi and Derek (as well as their friends & family) are people that pull you right into their lives. I found myself smiling, wondering how Lexi would... Oops! No spoilers! You will just have to read & enjoy the book yourself. =)*


The Rebellious One  Jeanette Lewis
This just might be my favorite book in the Billionaire Bride Pact Series. It was also the last one that I read! I LOVE this series!!! Each book is well written, with down to earth characters who have struggles and difficulties that they learn to give to God. Holly is such a sympathetic heroine, you can’t help falling in love with the character and rooting for her. The book has a beautiful message of forgiveness, and love winning over bitterness. It was a pleasure to read!*


The Passionate One  Jeanette Lewis
With a ‘Billionaire Romance’ you just aren’t expecting a ‘too be taken seriously’ storyline. This wasn’t your typical Cinderella story. It was more about finding your treasure right in your own back yard-seeing and appreciating the gifts that God has given you. I greatly enjoyed the characters (I didn’t expect to like Erin!) and their personal growth and development through the book. The Passionate One is an enjoyable, well-written book. I can’t wait to finish the series!*



The Snow Valley Anthologies are thoroughly enjoyable stories. Don’t ask me to pick a favorite. My favorite tends to be the one that I am reading! They were lovely, engaging stories with characters that I would love to befriend.

Love Coming Late
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Love Coming Late. I appreciated the romance between two people who AREN’T twenty-somethings just starting out in life. This was a sweet love story about two people who are in different stages of their lives, her children are nearly grown and moving on to college, and he has a young daughter. It also wasn’t a ‘hurry-up and have a wedding 2 weeks after they meet’ love story. It is a well-developed novella, with engaging characters who have real struggles. I can’t wait to read more of the Spring in Snow Valley novellas!*


Tin Foil Tiaras is a fun story about a small town beauty pageant. The characters were well developed and pulled you into their story. I actually liked that the novella didn’t end with a rushed romantic wedding. The romance was much more believable not rushing the relationship. It was a sweet and enjoyable read!*


Feels Like Love is a cute story and a fun read. The whole city slicker meets country family AND everything else associated with the country...HILARIOUS! It’s one of those books where you get sucked into the story. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters immensely! The characters were not always likeable, but you felt for them as you watched the characters grow into themselves as the book progressed. You see how our choices affect not only us, but those around us-especially when we are willfully outside of God’s will in our lives.

* I received a review copy of these book in exchange for my honest review.

CHAUTONA HAVIG on 1901 HISTORY...More about Sweet on You

I was privileged to ask the very gracious author of Sweet on You, the first book in the Meddlin' Madeline series, Chautona Havig a question about her latest book. History has alway fascinated me, so I was curious about her exceptional research in this historical novel.

What was the most fascinating or surprising historical fact that you found in your research of the 1901 time period? And did it find it's way into Sweet on You, or is it something that might show up in a later book in the Meddlin' Madeline series? 


CHAUTONA HAVIG:
That's a toss up between how inexpensive the Brownie camera was (and it's TINY picture size) and the fact that the Pinkerton Detective Agency worked more like "Secret Service" agents for strikebreakers than actual detectives. They did do detective work, but the bulk of their stuff was much less investigative.

Thanks, Ms. Havig!

Now available on Amazon.
Purchase by May 1 and receive the bonus short story, Essie's Endeavor.

Review of Sweet on You, Book 1 of the Meddlin' Madeline Series by Chautona Havig

Sleep is highly over-rated. Truly it is! Once I started Sweet on You, I was immediately immersed in 1901 Rockland. I am familiar with modern day Rockland - the fictional town... I have to keep reminding myself that these places and people ARE NOT REAL! Chautona Havig writes in such a way, that you feel that the characters, places, situations ARE real and that you are right there. =)

The Meddlin' Madeline series is totally different as far as time period and being more of a cosy mystery than Chautona Havigs' other books. However, like the other books, she is historically-BELIEVABLY-correct (her characters act in character with the time period-one of my pet peeves!). The story line draws you right in, so when you look up at the end of a chapter, it is a bit of a shock to see that you are sitting in your own chair, in your own MODERN house.

I was privileged to read an advanced copy as part of the launch team. I was asked to give an honest review. I'm not going to give any spoilers, just that I LOVED Sweet on You and can't wait to read the next Meddlin' Madeline mystery. Warning: it is not only a bit of a cliff-hanger, but the characters are addicting! ;-) 

HAPPY THANKGIVING!

There was SUPPOSED to be a nice Thanksgiving blog post... However, the iPad ate it - around midnight. I just didn't have it in me to pour out my heart and soul TWICE early this morning. SO, I am sharing my wonderful Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes instead!

Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes   serves 6

(This recipe is such a crowd pleaser, that I always double the recipe so I will have leftovers!)
Ingredients
    1/4 cup vegetable oil (I've use rice bran oil, & this year, I'm using coconut oil)
    2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
    2 tablespoons brown sugar (I use coconut palm sugar)
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    3/4 teaspoon salt (I use pink Himalayan sea salt for the flavor)    

    1 pinch freshly ground pepper
    1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional)
Directions
1.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pour the oil into a 9x13 inch baking dish, and place in the oven until hot, about 5 minutes.
2.    Add potatoes to the oiled dish, and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, turning after 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
3.    After the 20 minutes is up, remove the potatoes from the oven, and sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture. Stir to coat. Return to the oven, and roast for another 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and golden brown. Stir potatoes as necessary to allow them to brown evenly.
4.    Remove potatoes to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with lime juice. 

Enjoy! And have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!

'TIS THE SEASON FOR PUMPKIN PUDDING - Mums' Perfect Pumpkin (or Squash) Pudding Recipe

'TIS THE SEASON FOR PUMPKIN PUDDING

OR SQUASH... 

OR WHATEVER YOU HAVE OUT OF THE GARDEN OR IN A CAN!

 

Our family LOVES Mums' Pumpkin/Squash Pudding. It is a recipe that becomes all your own with each pudding. I will give you the basic recipe AND all of Mums' alterations.

BASIC PUMPKIN PUDDING RECIPE

Mix 3 eggs in a large bowl.

Mix in:

2 jars pumpkin

1 can milk

1 cup sugar

pumpkin pie spice

 

Cook in microwave on high for 20 minutes or until set up around the edges and firm in the middle.

Mum says:

Using your own pumpkin or squash (and you can use any kind of pumpkin or squash):

• Use about 6 cups of your own cooked, mashed or blended pumpkin/squash.
• Blending the meat of the pumpkin/squash will make a smoother pudding.
• Add more eggs (4) / less liquid for a more moist pumpkin/squash. Use less eggs (3) / more liquid for a dryer pumpkin/squash.

Everything that she adds is more to taste and 'feel' of the uncooked pudding than what is according to the recipe. Our favorite sweetening is maple syrup. Again - that's more liquid, so add less milk and more eggs.

She usually just adds cinnamon for spice, instead of the pumpkin pie spice.

We don't do regular dairy, so 'milk' is whatever we have readily available - almond/nut milk, coconut milk, rice milk, etc.

ENJOY!

 DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FALL RECIPE? 

PLEASE SHARE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.

AND, AS ALWAYS,

BE SAVVY, BE SERENE, BE SUCCESSFUL! 

NOVEMBER HOLIDAYS, SPECIAL DAYS, & JUST WACKY DAYS!

DID YOU KNOW...

November is:

• Aviation History Month
• Child Safety Protection Month
• International Drum Month
• National Adoption Awareness Month
• National Epilepsy Month
• National Model Railroad Month
• National Novel Writing Month
• Native American Heritage Month
• Peanut Butter Lovers Month
• Real Jewelry Month
• National Sleep Comfort Month

November Week Celebrations:

• Week 1 Chemistry Week
• Week 3 Game and Puzzle Week

November, 2013 Daily Holidays, Special and Wacky Days:

1 All Saint's Day
2 All Soul's Day
2 Book Lovers Day - This means that I get to read ALL DAY, right?
2 Deviled Egg Day
2 Look for Circles Day
3 Housewife's Day
3 Sandwich Day
4 King Tut Day
5 Gunpowder Day
5 Guy Fawkes Day
6 Marooned without a Compass Day
6 Saxophone Day
7 Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day
8 Cook Something Bold Day
8 Dunce Day
9 Chaos Never Dies Day
10 Forget-Me-Not Day
10 USMC Day
11 Veteran's Day
12 Chicken Soup for the Soul Day
12 Young Readers Day
13 National Indian Pudding Day
13 Sadie Hawkins Day
13 World Kindness Day
14 Operating Room Nurse Day
15 Clean Your Refrigerator Day
15 America Recycles Day
15 National Philanthropy Day
16 Button Day
16 Have a Party With Your Bear Day
17 Electronic Greeting Card Day
17 Homemade Bread Day
17 Take A Hike Day
17 World Peace Day
18 Occult Day
19 Have a Bad Day Day
20 Absurdity Day
20 Beautiful Day
20 Universal Children's Day
21 False Confession Day
21 Great American Smoke-out  - third Thursday in November
21 World Hello Day
22 Go For a Ride Day
23 Eat a Cranberry Day
23 National Cashew Day
23 National Adoption Day - Saturday before Thanksgiving
25 National Parfait Day 
26 Shopping Reminder Day
27 Pins and Needles Day
28 Make Your Own Head Day
28 Red Planet Day
28 Thanksgiving
29 Black Friday
29 Square Dance Day
29 You're Welcome Day - the day after Thanksgiving
30 Stay At Home Because You Are Well Day 

MAY YOU HAVE A SAVVY, SERENE, 

& SUCCESSFUL NOVEMBER!

ARE WE THERE YET? ORGANIZATION 101

SO! What started out as a 'I AM SERIOUSLY SLEEP DEPRIVED', and 'let's see what might help with that' quest, has taken on a bit of a life of its' own. This QUEST started with Feng Shui-ing my bedroom. After moving furniture, cleaning said DUSTY furniture, rearranging everything so that my bed was in the optimal position for the room, and going on an all out quest of everything having a place AND living in that place... Not dumping clothes on the chair is KILLING me, but WHO KNEW - it's a great spot to SIT! Since creating great energy flow in the room while I am SLEEPING, limiting stimulants (namely chocolate and tea, as well as night use of the computer), changing evening bedroom lighting (candles and soft light lamps), and getting to bed AT A DECENT TIME has ALL contributed to relieving the ZOMBIE BRAIN state, I suddenly realized what life in a fog had bestowed upon me - A HUGE, UGLY, OVERWHELMING MESS!

 

That's when I started attacking the rest of the house, going into 'I CAN'T STAND ALL THIS CRUD' organizing and REMOVING CRUD mode! And it didn't all happen in Octobers' 'GET ORGANIZED' week. It has taken WEEKS. But now that everything has a home, and I have counter space in the kitchen, the bookshelves in the living room are once again accessible (WOO HOO! Got more books than you have space? Stack creatively!), my stress level is once again manageable, I find myself wanting to get rid of excess.  

If it doesn't serve me, then bye-bye!

 

And that leads me up to my HUGE-A-MONSTROUS closet. I turned all of the hangers BACKWARDS. As I wear things, I will rehang them RIGHT. Next October everything that doesn't get worn, GOES. I'm not exactly sure what I will do for everything on the shelves... Clear out a shelf and put things on it as I wear them???  

ANY IDEAS? PLEASE POST!

What do you do to keep organized? Please share in the comments, and as always, 

Be Savvy, Be Serene, and Be Successful!