Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Book Covers Of Books I've Read

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. 

Today's Topic: Top Ten Favorite Book Covers Of Books I've Read

Luxe

I adore that pink dress. I need to continue this series by the way.

 Wicked Lovely series

 I love all the covers of the Wicked Lovely series.

Graveminder 

I love how slightly creepy the cover is.

The Raven Boys

I can't even tell you why I love this cover. It's probably just the raven.

The Girl In The Steel Corset

I love the whole look of this cover. The red dress, the steampunky background, the font of the title. It's all amazing.

Incarnate

The cover caught my attention but the story kept me engaged.

Across The Universe

Just love this cover and this book!

The Winter Witch 

Another cover that caught my attention. I wish I would have loved the story as much.

The Treachery of Beautiful Things

Another beautiful cover. Can you tell pretty dresses get me every time?

The Selection

Again more pretty dresses.

Pin It And Do It: Sriracha and Brown Sugar Almonds

One of my coworkers brings almonds as a snack to work. I was telling her that I saw some pins about flavored almonds. She said she hadn't seen them so I told her I'd send her a few links. While looking through my pins, I notice how easy these recipes are. And since almonds are good snacks, I decided to make these Sriracha and Brown Sugar Almonds. I figured if there were slightly spicy I wouldn't eat as many.
Here's the original pin:

Here's mine:

So easy. I made 1.5 lbs worth and doubled the sauce. I even gave some to Tai to take to work. I bet this batch will be gone in a few days.

Weekend Cooking: Chicken Breasts With Mushrooms and Cream #pinitdoit

We're getting to the end of May (where has the time gone) and I'm just doing my first Pin It and Do It item! Time certainly has gotten away from me!
So today's dish is a pin that I pinned 22 weeks ago. I love looking at my older pins because I tend to only took at my newer ones for dinner inspirations. This chicken breast with mushroom and cream dish looked interesting especially since the recipe stated the sauce was so delicious.
Here's the original pin:

Here's mine:

I overcooked the chicken a little. We all enjoyed the sauce. I'll definitely make this one again and try not to overcook the chicken!



Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

Awesome and Awkward Thursday

Awkward

-Switching cell phone companies. What a PITA! Especially when Verizon decided to shut my phone service down 4 days ahead of schedule. 

-My lack of blogging. Been lazy lately. I have things to share but not enough time to write posts. Sigh.

Awesome

-I'm eight books ahead on my Goodreads challenge. Yay!

-I'm going to the premiere of Much Ado About Nothing tonight! And Joss Wheadon and Nathan Fillion will be there. I'm so excited!

What's awesome and awkward for you this week?

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Bellevue Farmer's Market Cookbook

My local farmer's market published a cookbook a few years back. I grabbed it off the shelf since our farmer's markets are just opening around here.

I Remember Nothing and Other Reflections

I've enjoyed the other Ephron books I've read. I don't think this one will be any different.

Hood

While attempted to read The Outlaws of Sherwood (which I DNF), I decided I needed to read more Robin Hood legend. I stumbled on Hood and decided to give it a shot.

Paleo Slow Cooking

You know I love my slow cooker. I hoping to find some winners in here.

Sweet Potato Power

More paleo but also like the smart carb approach. 

What did you get this week?

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

After reading Violets of March and Blackberry Winter, I'll read anything Sarah Jio writes. I was not disappointed with The Bungalow. You do have suspend reality a little but the story was so moving that I didn't notice too much.
The Bungalow reminded me a lot of Rosie Thomas' books which I also enjoy. The Bungalow starts with an elderly Anne, napping while waiting for her granddaughter to arrive for a visit. Quickly, Anne starts to tell her granddaughter the story of her life in the 1940's. We're are transported to Seattle, at the start of World War 2. Anne has just graduated from nursing school and is ready to marry a good, stable man. Anne's life is all planned out. Anne's best friend, Kitty decides to volunteer as a nurse and persuades Anne to come along. Anne postpones her wedding and flies to the South Pacific with Kitty.
Jio writes richly detailed characters and beautiful settings. I could feel like I was there with Anne on Bora Bora. I enjoyed Anne's story. I wish that Kitty and some of Anne's other nurse friends were more fleshed out. The Bungalow is only 290 pages so Jio focused the story on Anne.
Overall I found The Bungalow to be a great quick read. Others who shared their thoughts on The Bungalow: Seize The Latte, The Literary Life of A Well Read Wife, Write Meg!, Jenn's Bookshelves, Devourer of Books, and Life In The Thumb.
This is my eighth read for the Historical Reading Challenge.

Weekend Cooking: Almond Brioche Sticky Buns

I put Aidia Mollenkamp's Keys To The Kitchen on hold at the library after reading about it on Cooking With Amy. I loved the second part of the title: The Essential Reference For Becoming a More Accomplished, Adventurous Cook. I'm definitely trying to be a more accomplished and adventurous cook.
Mollenkamp goes over types of meats, veggies, and herbs. She gives concise overviews on how to choose foods and what seasons they would be the freshest. Mollenkamp advocates eating seasonally. I loved all the pictures and the details given to the techniques at the beginning. The first half of the book talks about techniques and teaches a lot about preparing food. The second half is recipes. But even the recipe are demonstrating techniques.
I decided to make Mollenkamp's Almond Brioche Sticky Buns:

Despite the fact they have a difficulty rating of hard, I thought they were fairly easy. A little time consuming but not too difficult. I would definitely make them again.

The only thing I disliked about Keys To The Kitchen was in the recipe section. Mollenkamp talks a lot in the beginning about eating seasonally but the recipes are mashed together. There's no suggestion of which season each recipe might be from. I'm still learning how to eat seasonally so more information would have been helpful for me.
Mollenkamp's Keys To The Kitchen is a must buy for me. Others who share their thoughts on Keys To The Kitchen: The Kitchn, The Spiced Life,  Edible Living, Turntable Kitchen, and Food Gal.



Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

Forever A Lady by Delilah Marvelle

After reading Forever and A Day, I immediately put Forever A Lady on hold. I'm really enjoying this series.
Lady Bernadette is a widow who has decided to enjoy life. She has decided not to get attached to any man. Matthew is a thief and criminal. Matthew longs to find a woman to settle down with. Despite the fact that they travel in different circles, Matthew and Bernadette find themselves drawn to each other. Their romance isn't easy which I enjoyed. They didn't even have insta-love. It was insta-lust. Love came later. I liked how their romance progressed and both characters grew. I really liked Matthew and Bernadette.
Overall, I enjoyed Forever A Lady. I can't wait to read the third in the series, Forever A Lord. Others who shared their thoughts on Forever A Lady: The Rookie Romance, My Book Addiction Reviews, Books and Kisses, and What I'm Reading.
This was my seventh read for the Historical Reading Challenge.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

The Historian

I've been wanting to read The Historian for a while. Since I'm reading longer books this year, I figured now was a good time.

A Kiss Of Shadows

I was in the mood for a book about faeries so I decided to start Hamilton's Merry Gentry series.

The Tea Rose

I need to read longer books in order to meet my 40,000 page goal this year. I put a call out on Twitter for longer books that people have enjoyed. Shoshanah recommended The Tea Rose series so I requested the first one from the library. 

Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls

Sedaris' latest of course.

Outlander by Diana Gibaldon

I decided to read Outlander and start the Outlander series because they are freaking long books and I need longer books to get to my goal of 40,000 pages read this year. At 627 pages it certainly qualifies as mammoth book. Anyway Outlander is like everyone's favorite book and for good reason. It's awesome.
Ok, Claire and her husband, Frank, are enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland. Frank is enjoying the historical sites of Scotland and finding out of the way and unknown attractions. Claire enjoys finding interesting herbs and plants. On one expedition to a cluster of rocks, Claire touches one of the rocks and is transported to 1743. I enjoyed the fish out of water experience Claire has at first. She thinks the fight she stumbles upon is a movie set. It isn't until she's attacked that she realizes this isn't a movie. It takes a while for Claire to realize that she's gone back in time. Fortunately, Frank's historical studies rubbed off on Claire so she's able to know a little bit about the world she's in. But nothing prepares her to live in 1743 or to meet Jamie.
Jamie has to be my new favorite character. I kept reading Jamie's dialogue to Tai.  He even thought Jamie sounded pretty cool. I liked Claire too. Gabaldon writes a rich and interesting story. I was immediately drawn in. I read Outlander for most of the readathon and was entertained.
Overall, I enjoyed Outlander. I can't say it was my favorite book ever. Jamie is my new favorite male character though. I plan to keep reading the series. Others who shared their thoughts on Outlander: Once Upon A Chapter, Cannonball Reads 5, Chapter Break, and It's A Book Life.
This was my sixth read for the Historical Reading Challenge.

This was my fourth read for the Mammoth Reading Challenge.