The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Reading Level: Adult
(5 out of 5)


I loved this book. I was actually reading a different book when I came upon this one. After reading the first page I was hooked. I like how each new segment has a heading. For example chapter one starts with the heading After Lunch, then Dinner, Later, Memories, you always know the time frame which is nice. Grace Divine is the daughter of a local pastor. Daniel Kalbi was Grace's next door neighbor and her brother Jude's best friend until one night Jude came home covered in blood and Daniel had disappeared. Now Daniel was back and even though Jude made Grace promise to stay away from him she just can't help herself. Ms. Despain weaves religion, werewolves, and romance into an incredible story. I'm excited that the next book The Lost Saint comes out in January. So I don't have forever to wait. Yeah!!!

Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

Mrs. Seinfeld gave us Deceptively Delicious, a cookbook for parents to help their picky eaters to eat healthier by adding vegetable purees to their foods. Now with Double Delicious! she has many more yummy looking recipes that are healthy and fit for the whole family. The chicken and rice soup looks very good and has cauliflower and carrot puree along with other whole veggies. The sesame beef with broccoli has carrot puree in the sauce. It gets a thumbs up from her family. Don't fret because if you have sweet tooth she has great looking desserts as well. I want to try the doughnut cookies. They look delicious and you can have two for only 70 calories and 2.5 grams of fat.

Beautiful Darkness By Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Reading Level: Young Adult
(4 out of 5)

This book was like sinking my teeth into a triple layer fudge cake. So delicious and so rich. In Beautiful Darkness school is out. Ethan is looking forward to the summer with Lena, but Lena isn't the same girl she used to be a few months ago. Somehow she got away without claiming herself on her sixteenth birthday and she is in turmoil: good or bad, light or dark. Which one will she become? In order to protect the people she loves from herself she runs away with her cousin Ridley and the mysterious John Breed. But Ethan isn't going to just move on. He loves Lena and even if their relationship is over he is determined to help her. So with the help of his best friend Link and keeper in training Liv they embark on a dangerous mission: find the fabled great barrier and save Lena.

The Castor world of the tunnels come alive in this book. You only got a taste in Beautiful Creatures, in Beautiful Darkness you get the tour. Things really aren't what they seem. I'm thrilled that it looks like there will at least be two more in the series. One coming out in 2011 and one in 2012.

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

If you can see the white pieces of paper sticking up out of the book in the photo you can tell I have bookmarked a lot of recipes. One recipe is from Cuba: chicken and cheese empanadas, one from Mexico: Pozole, and one from Argentina: grilled chicken and chimichurri. Just to name a few. The chicken tomatillo stew and pork pupusas with spicy coleslaw look good as well. I can't wait to try the Mexican red rice recipe. Looks yummy, I love Mexican rice. If you are a fan of Latin food check out this book.

Classic Southern Desserts by Southern Living

Reading Level: Adult
(5 out of 5)

I think I want to make every recipe out of this book. There are too many to blog about and too many to copy, so I think I'm going to buy my own book. If you like to bake check out this book, you won't be disappointed.

Untited Cakes of AMerica by Warren Brown

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)

Did you know that Indiana's official dessert is sugar cream pie? I did not, but I do love sugar cream pie. The author Warren Brown wondered what connects a cake to a state? His research began. Brown owns his own bakery CakeLove and has been featured on Food Network. This book has a dessert recipe for each state and they all look good. I want to try our sugar cream pie, Maryland's Smith Island Cake, Illinois Devil's food cake, and caramel cake which is a favorite in about every state in the Union.

A Memory Between Us by Sarah Sundin

Reading Level: Adult
(4 out of 5)


A Memory Between Us is the second book in the Wings of Glory series. This book revolves around Major Jack Novak and Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. Jack met Ruth in the first book when she was a nurse to Jack's brother Walt. In the start of this book Jack is wounded and winds up in Ruth's hospital. He is smitten with her from the start but he soon finds out that she is dedicated to her work and doesn't date. Jack thinks no problem and feels like he can persuade her into loving him. The historical aspect of this novel is fascinating. She states on her web page in the FAQ's that the places were all real and even some of the people were real people. Most of the dates are real time as well. It was exciting reading about D-Day and about flight nursing. I think I would rather be in a hospital away from the fighting but the nurses who risked their own lives pulling out our soldiers were incredible. The writing is just incredible and I can't wait for book three.