What To Eat This Week

I'm so thankful for cooler weather. I love cooking but hate sweating while I'm doing it. Another cooler week means a happier Linda.

Breakfasts: Oatmeal for me. Cereal for Tai.

Lunches: Leftovers and Ginger-Chili Chicken

Dinners:

Monday: Dinner out

Tuesday: Mexican Chicken Bake

Wednesday:  Easy Thai Beef Salad Cups

Thursday: Bacon cheeseburgers and salads (Go Hawks!)

Friday: Steak and salads

Saturday: Dinner out

Sunday: Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

What's on your menu this week?

Royally Lost by Angie Stanton

I don't remember how I found Royally Lost but I'm glad I did. It was an adorably cute story about falling in love. 

Becca is on a European river boat cruise with her dad, stepmom, and older brother, Dylan. Becca is glad to be away from home after her boyfriend dumped her for her best friend. Although Becca is not enjoying the sights and would like to find a way to get out of everything like her brother does. One day, Becca runs into a cute guy. She resigns herself to cute boy watching because they'll be moving on to another port the next day. Imagine her surprise when she sees him at the next stop. 

Nikolai is the crown prince of Mondovia. His family expects him to follow in the family footsteps without any problem. But Nikolai has a lot of problems. He doesn't agree with where his country is headed. He has solutions to their problems but his father, the King, ignores him. Nikolai's solution is runaway, leave home. Maybe then they'll listen. 

Stanton weaves both Becca and Nikolai's voices together perfectly. I really enjoyed hearing the story from both of their perspectives. Stanton made all the characters feel real and charming (ok maybe except Dylan. He didn't pop off the page for me). I enjoyed reading about Becca and Nikolai. In fact, I read Royally Lost in one day. Sweet story and a lot of fun too. Others who shared their thoughts on Royally Lost: Katie's Book Blog, YA Midnight Reads, Good Choice Reading, and The Reader's Den.

This is my fifteenth read for the Romance Reading Challenge.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me 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.

Robopocalypse

Reloot. Hopefully I can read it this time.

Sisters' Fate

The last of the Cahill Witch Chronicles. 

What did you get this week? Claire's got the linky this week.

Teaser Tuesday-A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"He let his gaze drift down her form. There was a wicked thrill to knowing lushness smoldered beneath that modest sprigged muslin gown."
pg 47 A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

Goodnight June by Sarah Jio

Sarah Jio is one of my go to authors. I will always pick up what she writes. I usually enjoy her books and Goodnight June was no exception. Goodnight June combines so much of what I expect from Jio: love, mystery, and Seattle.

June Andersen left Seattle for New York decades ago. She has little intention of returning to Seattle and her family. But her aunt, Ruby, has other plans. Ruby leaves June her children's bookstore in her will. June must return to Seattle to deal with her inheritance as well as her family.

I immediately liked June. She was smart and independent but she was running away from her problems. Her family had hurt her so she left them behind and didn't want to reconcile despite their attempts otherwise. June was stubborn. But since Ruby left her the bookstore, June had to return to Seattle and find a way to reconcile her life. I enjoyed reading about June's story and I hated putting the book down at night.

Confession. I'd never read Goodnight Moon. Goodnight Moon has a strong influence in Goodnight June. I did pick up Goodnight Moon from the library and found it delightful. I don't know how I missed it as a child. If you know the story of Goodnight Moon, it might enhance your enjoyment of Goodnight June. If not, it might inspire you to check it out.

Another winner by Jio. I'm looking forward to her next book, The Look of Love, due out this winter! Others who shared their thoughts on Goodnight June: Luxury Reading, Reading for Sanity, Reading The Past, and Booking Mama.

What To Eat This Week

Last week was cool enough for me to cook most days. We did pretty good. It's supposed to be warm again this week (boo!) so more salads!

Breakfasts: Oatmeal for me. Cereal for Tai.

Lunches: Sweet Shoyu Chicken and Split Pea Soup with ham

Dinners:

Monday: Ribs with Paleo Peach Barbecue Sauce

Tuesday: Turkey Apple Salads

Wednesday: Bean salad with shrimp and pickled onions

Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (eggs, bacon, toast)

Friday: Grilled Chicken with Paleo Peach Barbecue Sauce

Saturday: Party at friend's house

Sunday: Chicken & Mushroom in Honey Mustard Cream Sauce

What's on your menu this week?

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Since Lisa raved about These Broken Stars and this gorgeous cover, I knew I had to read These Broken Stars. I'm so glad I did. Amazing book. Damn near broke my heart.

When I first heard about These Broken Stars, I was dismissive. I didn't think I could read a book about space that would top Across The Universe. In fact, I felt Across The Universe spoiled me for other books about space. I was wrong. These Broken Stars is nothing like Across The Universe and amazing in its own right.

Lilac LaRoux is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. She is incredibly privileged. She, along with her entourage, are traveling on Icarus, a ship her father designed and built. Traver Merendsen is a distinguished war hero. He's been invited onto the Icarus to celebrate his accomplishments and hobnob with society. But Traver rather be back serving at his command or home with his family than be on the Icarus.

Each chapter alternates between Lilac and Traver. I loved hearing both of their voices and learning more about them. I loved how slowly Kaufman and Spooner revealed their characters and let the reader and the other character get to know them. Both Lilac and Traver felt real. And their story blew me away. I was utterly wrecked at the end. I found this to be a fantastic first book in a planned trilogy. I look forward to reading more by Kaufman and Spooner. Others who shared their thoughts on These Broken Stars: My Thousand Lives, The Midnight Garden, Esther's Ever After, Beauty and The Books, and YA Bound.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me 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.

Fire & Flood

After Lisa posted about Fire & Flood, I added it to my library queue. I'm looking forward to it.

Golden Girl

The next in the American Fairy series. 

Mad About The Boy

I keep meaning to read this one. Hope I can before it's due back.

What did you get this week? Share below!

Teaser Tuesday-Goodnight June by Sarah Jio

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"The store is just as I remember it, though like me, I suppose it's showing signs of age. The brick facade, always a bit rustic, is shedding its mortar."
pg 18 Goodnight June by Sarah Jio

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

I added Dust Girl to my library queue after reading Becky's post about it. I wanted to read more about the Dust Bowl and that era. Dust Girl had that plus fairies. I do love book about the fae. Dust Girl combines the historical aspects I love plus the supernatural. I'm really glad I picked this one up.

Callie lives her with mom in Kanas. Their town, Slow-Run, is being slowly vacated by its residents. The dust storms are making it hard for people to continue to live there. Nothing grows and the dust makes people sick. One day, Callie's mom disappears and some strange people show up in Slow-Run. Callie befriends a young man, Jack, who promises to help her find her parents. Callie and Jack must run from the fae.

I liked Callie. She was smart but still learning about who she was. Jack is definitely more than meets the eye. He's going to get more interesting in the next book. If you like historical fiction and fairies, I would recommend Dust Girl. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Others who shared their thoughts on Dust Girl: Becky's Book Reviews, The Book Smugglers, Buried In Books, and Diverse Pages.

What To Eat This Week

We did pretty good last week. It was pretty cool most of the week so cooking was easy.  It's going to warm again for a few days then cool off so I'm looking forward to those days.

Breakfasts: Cereal for Tai. Oatmeal for me.

Lunches: leftovers

Dinners:

Monday: Baked salmon and salads

Tuesday: Cobb salads

Wednesday: Thai Turkey Meatballs

Thursday:  Bacon Wrapped Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs and salads

Friday: Juicy Lucys with sweet potato fries

Saturday: Party at friend's house

Sunday:  Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Mango Habanero sauce and salads

What are you eating this week?

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me 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.

Of Mice And Men

I need a classic for the Book Bingo Challenge. I picked Of Mice and Men cause it's short. 

Strange and Ever After

I've really been enjoying this steampunky historical fiction series. I'm excited to see how it wraps up. 

What did you get this week? Claire's got the linky this week.

Tuesday Teaser-We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Usually i adored telling stories and hearing them told. The legendary Sinclairs, what fun we had, how beautiful we were." 
pg 26 We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

What To Eat This Week

I've been remiss in sharing on menu plans. Part of it was it was too hot to cook so we were eating out a lot. Also I've lost my cooking mojo. I'm anxious for cooler temps so I'll want to be in the kitchen. Until then, salads.

Breakfasts: Cereal for Tai. Chia seed pudding for me.

Lunches: Turkey chili and taco salads

Dinners:

Monday: Sweet Tart, and Spicy Shrimp Salad

Tuesday: Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs over rice with a salad

Wednesday: Spaghetti and meatballs

Thursday: Chicken and apple sausages and salads

Friday: Italian Salads

Saturday: Turkey meatloaf and salads

Sunday: Juicy Lucys with sweet potato fries

What's on your meal plan this week?

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

I've been wanting to read Moriarty's books for a while now. So when I saw The Husband's Secret on the library shelf, I grabbed it. I'm so glad I did. The Husband's Secret was an excellent read.

Cecilia has the perfect life. She's married to a handsome man, has three beautiful daughters, and runs a successful Tupperware business. One day while her husband is out of town, Cecilia stumbles on a letter from him written to her. The envelope states that it should be opened after he has passed. Cecilia can't imagine why her husband would write such a letter or what the letter would contain.

Rachel's life is marked with sadness. Ever day she grieves for her teenaged daughter who was murdered years ago. Rachel longs to know why her daughter was murdered and who murdered her. Rachel suspects her daughter's boyfriend who is now the gym teacher at the school Rachel works at.

Tess is having a midlife crisis or maybe her husband is. Either way, Tess decides to move in with her mother who recently broke her foot. While Tess enrolls her son in a new school, she meets an old boyfriend, one that happens to be the school's gym teacher.

I enjoyed how the story flowed from one woman to the other. At first, it was hard to tell how these women were going to be entangled with one another but slowly we see how these lives get interconnected. I liked each of the women and enjoyed hearing how their troubles get resolved or not resolved. Moriarty does write a good epilogue that explains all the secrets (not just the husband's) and shows what might have happened. The Husband's Secret was engrossing and I enjoyed every minute of it. Others who shared their thoughts on The Husband's Secret: Feeling A Little Bookish, White House Red Roof, Delicious Reads, and Overbooked.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and me 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.

Lots of graphic novels this week. No reason. Just felt like reading a lot of graphic novels.

Supercrooks

I was looking for another graphic novel by Millar (The Secret Service) when I found this one. My library doesn't have The Secret Service so I might have IIL it.

This One Summer

I keep hearing good things about this one.

The Spectral Engine

I don't remember how I found The Spectral Engine but it looks good and creepy.

A Bintel Brief

I found A Bintel Brief while searching for graphic novels about Jews. A Bintel Brief is also about immigrants, a topic I enjoy reading about.

Beautiful Darkness

Another one I don't remember where I heard about it. Looks good and heard it was dark. Always good.

What did you get this week? Add your link below.

Teaser Tuesday-Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I'd freaked out when I'd seen myself. I've had long black hair and no bangs for as I can remember, and the girl staring back at me in the salon mirror didn't look anything like me." 
pg 6 Just One Day by Gayle Forman

July Book Tally

Saga vol 3 by Brian K Vaughan

Constance by Rosie Thomas

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

Zombillenium: Gretchen by Arthur de Pins

Somerset by Leila Meacham

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour

Trapped At The Altar by Jane Feather

The Library by Sarah Stewart

July seems to have gone by quickly. A busy month with one huge book meant less books. A lot of good books but fewer than I would have liked. Hopefully I have more time for reading August. 

Stats:

Romance Reading Challenge This month: 1(Trapped At The Altar) YTD: 14

Historical Reading Challenge  This month: 2 ( Somerset and Trapped At The Altar) YTD: 10

What's In A Name Challenge This month: 1 (The Here and Now) YTD: 4

Yearly Total: 81

Trapped At The Altar by Jane Feather

I picked up Trapped At The Altar on a whim. I was out. I had finished the book I had with me and it was going to be several hours before I returned home. My options at the drug store were slim. Trapped At The Altar was my best choice. Despite the horrible name, I really enjoyed Trapped At The Altar.

Ari has been living happily in her family’s home. Ari has been able to determine what she wants to do and where she goes. Ivor was sold to her family to help improve family relations between his family and hers. Ari and Ivor have long been betrothed. But now that they are of age, Ari finds she loves someone else. Someone her family would not approve of. Ari tries to fight the betrothal but they are married anyway. Ari feels trapped in a loveless marriage and longs to be reunited with her love.

Ivor was sold to Ari’s family when he was a child. He’s grown up with Ari and understood their place in the world. Ivor is happy to marry Ari and believes they will grow to love each other. This marriage is the only one for Ivor. He understands what he and Ari need to do. He knows their union will help both their families regain some of what they lost.

Trapped At The Altar was set in the 1600’s in England. Not a time period I’ve read a lot about. I appreciated the details that Feather gave about the discord between the Catholics and the Protestants. I also liked the other details Feather included about daily life. I found it easy to get lost in Trapped At The Altar and enjoyed every minute. Others who shared their thoughts on Trapped At The Altar: Buried In Romance, Book Binge, Love In The Margins, and Tales To Tide You Over.

This was my fifth read for the Romance Reading Challenge.