2012 War Through The Generations Challenge

Since I enjoyed War Through The Generations challenge this year, I decided to give another go this year. I was having a hard time with it since I don't have a ton of books on my tbr list or on my book shelves about World War I. Eva gave me a couple of recommendations and I found a few others on some recommended reading lists.  I'm hoping to come across some real winners. Plus the readalong book is A Farewell To Arms which is on my Fill In The Gaps list.
I'm going for the dip level (1-3 books) but hopefully I'll read more than that like I did this year.
Here are some of the books I'm planning on reading:

Justice Hall
A Very Long Engagement
The Guns of August
My Dear I Wanted To Tell You

Any World War I books I must read?

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 Girl In The Steel Corset

This one is reloot. I'm hoping to actually it this time. 

Corsets & Clockwork

I saw this one the shelf and decided to go with the steampunk theme I have going on. 

What did you get this week?

Slow Cooker Tuesday: Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

I actually pinned this recipe a while ago. I kept meaning to make it but sadly waited. I urge you not to wait. It's ridiculously easy and so yummy.

I took pictures of it sliced but these were much better.

My changes to the recipe: 

I added 4 cloves of garlic to the rub. I like a lot of garlic. But I didn't feel it was too garlic-y.

I was incredibly lazy when it came to making the glaze. I wanted the meat to be all brown and yummy so I covered the meat in the glaze and tossed it in the oven at 400º for 20 minutes. As you can see it got all yummy and caramelized. 

I used a 6 quart crock pot but you could use a 4 quart if your loin was smaller. I used shoulder since that's what I had.

Letters From Father Christmas by JRR Tolkien

I admit I was seduced the length of Letters from Father Christmas (112 pages) and the fact it was written by Tolkien. I knew from the goodreads blurb that these were the letters that Tolkien wrote for his kids every holiday season. Other than the tiny bit of elvish he wrote in one of the letters, this book didn't capture my attention.
Now the art work, the attention to detail were fantastic. The fact that he kept writing about the same characters and sometimes referenced past events over seventeen years was amazing. I felt his kids were very lucky to have such an imaginative dad. The tale he wove about Father Christmas, the polar bear and his helper elves was detailed. But I would only recommended this book to those who are true Tolkien addicts. The original letters and artwork are printed in the book so you can see how detailed the letters were. To me there was no story. Just some really great letters his kids got. Others who shared their thoughts on Letters From Father Christmas: Nose In A Book, The Road Goes Ever Ever On, Pen and Paper, and All Booked Up.
This was my second read for The Christmas Spirit Challenge.

Foodies Read 2 Challenge

The second challenge for 2012 is the Foodies Read 2 challenge. I think this one might be easy for me since I love books about food. I'm going for the Sous Chef level (9-13 books). I don't need to make a list but I wanted to anyway.

The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkle
Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
The Food of A Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer Lee
Plenty by Alisa Smith
The Zen of Fish by Trevor Corson
Confections of A Closet Master Baker by Gesine Bullock-Prado
As Always, Julia by Julia Childs
Salted by Mark Bitterman
Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant by Jenni Ferrari-Adler 
The Sweet Life In Paris by David Lebovitz
Tender At The Bone by Ruth Reichl

Have you read any of these? Any can't miss books about food?

2011 War Through The Generations Challenge Wrap Up

I really enjoyed the War Through The Generations Challenge. I think the challenge itself was fun as well as the time period-Civil War. I'll be joining the challenge next year where we'll read books about The Great War (WWI).
I signed up to read 3-5 books and wound up reading 7 books. Here's my list of what I read:

They Fought Like Demons by DeAnne Blaton and Lauren M Cook
Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles
Girl In Blue by Ann Rinaldi
Broken Promises by Elizabeth Cobbs Hoffman
Belle by Beverly Jenkins
A Separate Country by Robert Hicks
My Name Is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
Ganymede by Cherie Priest

The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn

I'm so glad I picked up The Autobiography of Santa Claus. What a delightful story! Not only is this the story of how Santa came to be but also the story of how Christmas evolved and Santa's role in it. It's obvious that Guinn did a lot of research to tell this story. There's plenty of information on how different countries and cultures celebrate Christmas as well as facts about history. I was completely drawn into Santa's story as well the historical aspects that he saw over the years. Set up to read each chapter over the 24 days leading up to Christmas, I could see a family reading a little bit each night. I read the whole book over the course of a weekend. It was so engaging I had trouble putting it down!
Highly recommended. Others who shared their thoughts on The Autobiography of Santa Claus: AWriter's Life, Candy's Raves, and Book Addiction.
This is the first book I read for The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge.

Slow Cooker Tuesday-Easy Roast Beef

This is hands down my favorite slow cooker recipe. In fact I've blogged about it before. But I love it so much I have to share it again.
This roast beef is the easiest meal ever. You need 5 ingredients and at least 8 hours before the deliciousness begins.

Tips on the recipe:

I don't mix the dressings and gravy together before hand. I dumped each packet in and poured the water on top. Still came out yummy.

I used a 6 quart crockpot.

I served it over our favorite fauxtatoes, but I've served over mashed potatoes in the past. This is one of those meals you'll use over and over again. It's great for potlucks, quick dinners, and it's great comfort food.

Ganymede by Cherie Priest

I've been really enjoying the Clockwork Century series so I was happy to get my hands on Ganymede. I think Priest really hit her groove in this one, combining real history with fictional steampunk components.
At the start of Ganymede we're back in Seattle with Brier and Cly. Cly gets a letter from an old flame calling him back to New Orleans for a mysterious job. It happens to be advantageous time for him to make the trip South. A Seattle businessman wants to make improvements to Seattle but needs things found outside the Northwest. This trip could be very profitable to Cly. I loved Civil War era New Orleans. Priest really made the Big Easy come alive.
Great continuation of the series. I'm really looking forward to the next one. Others who shared their thoughts on Ganymede: Karissa's Reading Review, The Merry Genre Go Around Reviews, and Val's Random Comments.
This is my eighth read for the War Through The Generations challenge.

2012 Western Genre Challenge

So 2011 was my first year of participating in single year challenges. I felt like I stuck pretty close to what I was familiar with. But for 2012, I want to experience some new and not so familiar genres. So I'm signing up for The Lost Entwife's Western Genre Challenge. I wouldn't consider myself a Western genre reader so I'm stepping into unfamiliar territory.
I'm going for the Lick and A Promise level (10 books). I didn't have to make a master list but I wanted to give myself a list in case I needed help remembering what to read :)

My Antonia-Willa Cathers

The Quick and The Dead-Louis L’Amour

Lonesome Dove-Larry McMurty

True Grit-Charles Portis

Cherish by Catherine Anderson

Texas Destiny-Lorraine Heath

The Enchantment-Kristin Hannah

All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

Lawless by Ed Gorman

I only added one book on my Fill In The Gaps list (All The Pretty Horses). Plus I put a few Western romances in there. Any can't miss Westerns I should add to my list?

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

I chose to read The Postmistress after reading some glowing reviews when it first came out. At first I was hesitant, not really getting sucked into the story but about halfway through the book, I was hooked.
First I have to say the writing is amazing. You're just reading the story then, bam, there's all this detail. it's told so beautiful that it took my breath away. Then it would go back to the story which got really engaging to me after about page 50 or so.
At the beginning you had so many people with so many stories. Iris, the postmaster, watches the town and struggles to just watch. Harry, the town mechanic, believes that the German U-Boats will find their sleepy Cape Cod town. Emma, the new wife of the town's doctor, floats adrift after her husband leaves to help in England. And Frankie, the war correspondent, trying to bring the war to those at home in America. But each of their secrets and struggles slowly meld into one story.
I truly enjoyed The Postmistress after the slow start, it really picked up and kept me engaged. I think this would be an excellent book club book. There is plenty to discuss! Recommended. Others who shared their thoughts on The Postmistress: Book Journey, Bookfan, This Miss Loves To Read, You've GOTTA Read This, Bibliophile By The Sea, and Beth Fish Reads.
This was my ninth read for The Original TBR 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!

Vanish

I've heard mixed reviews on this one but I still want to read it. 

What did you get this week?

Slow Cooker Tuesday-Coq Au Vin

Coq Au Vin is one of those "fancy" dishes I would order at a restaurant but never think of making at home. What is it about French food that sounds difficult? But when I spied this recipe on the Whole Foods website, I realized that Coq Au Vin might not be so difficult.
What is Coq Au Vin? It's chicken cooked in wine. Sounds so much easier when you hear that, right?

Tips on the recipe:

I used bone in thighs and removed the bone before serving.

I followed the commenters advice and tripled the liquid. Great idea.

I used a 4 quart crockpot and cooked it for 6 hours.

This recipe takes time. It's a great weekend meal. I served it with sweet potatoes but you could serve it with rice or pasta. 

The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

I picked up The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb off the library shelf after hearing so many good things about it. I'm so glad I did. It was a wonderful book that I was sad to finish.
Immediately, I fell in love with Lavinia. She's everything I hope for in a heroine. She's full of spunk. In her twenties, Lavinia ("Vinnie") reaches her full height of 32". Raised in rural New England, Vinnie quickly realizes that life with her family will never be what her heart desires. Vinnie unexpectedly gets the opportunity to join a show, a show aboard a river boat on the Mississippi. That when her life starts.
The world Benjamin creates is so vivid. I could see Vinnie singing and dancing on the river boat. I could feel the excitement of life on the road. I enjoyed all the people that Vinnie met while she toured. I loved little Minnie, Vinnie's tenderhearted sister. Vinnie was the star of the show but Minnie was the heart.
Don't let the title fool you. This is a work of fiction. Benjamin did her research to make sure there were plenty of graphic details. I was quickly sucked into Vinnie's world and really didn't want to leave. While I loved learning about Vinnie, a woman I'd never heard of before this book, I was intrigued by PT Barnum who loomed over Vinnie throughout the book. I highly recommend picking up The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb. Others who shared their thoughts on The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb: Devourer of Books, Lit and Life, The Written World, Children's Books & More, Book Chase, and Bippity Boppity Book.

November Book Tally

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Poison Eaters by Holly Black
Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
The Summer Before by Ann M Martin
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice
It's A Book by Lane Smith
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (review coming next week)
The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin (review coming next week)

Nine this month. Great month. It's hard to pick a favorite. Both The Night Circus and The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb were fantastic.

The Stats:

Fill In The Gaps Challenge: YTD: 10 (Interview With The Vampire)

War Through The Generations:YTD: 7 (Nothing new this month)-COMPLETE

YA Reading Challenge: YTD: 28 (Texas Gothic & The Summer Before)-COMPLETE

The Original TBR Challenge: YTD: 9 (The Postmistress)

Support Your Local Library Challenge: YTD: 93-COMPLETE

100+ Reading Challenge: YTD: 114-COMPLETE

Split Pea Soup With Ham

After Thanksgiving we had about 1/2 a ham leftover. I made both ham and turkey. I wasn't sure what to do with the ham other than ham sandwiches. But Tai suggested split pea soup. I think I made it last year with the leftover ham but lost the recipe I used. I found this recipe from Martha and tweaked it.

Split Pea Soup With Ham
(adapted from Martha Stewart.com)

4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced fine
4 carrots, sliced thin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs butter
3 cups of chicken broth
4 cups of water
1 package of split peas (rinsed and picked over for rocks)
ham (as much or as little as you like)

Saute the garlic and thyme in the butter. Once the garlic and thyme starts to release their fragrance (about 1-2 minutes), add onion and carrots. Cook til onions and carrots start to get soft (about 8-10 minutes). Then add peas, ham, broth and water.
I knew I was going to blend the soup to make it creamy. But the idea of blending the ham didn't appeal to me. Since I had ham bits rather than ham chunks I needed to be creative. So I bundled the ham in cheesecloth. The ham added it's hammy goodness to the soup and I could have ham pieces in the soup, not ham puree.
Bring soup to a boil, then cover and lower heat to medium low for 45 minutes. Remove ham bundle. Blend soup with an immersion blender til creamy. I left some of the carrots whole for fun. Dice ham and add to soup.
It's fairly thick so add more broth/water if you like it thinner.

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!

Snow Flower and The Secret Fan

I have this one on my Fill In The Gaps Challenge list. I've been slow reading for that challenge but I'm hoping to get in a couple before the calendar flips to 2012.

A History of The Wife

The last book I need for the Original TBR Challenge. I have 3 left on that list and I own 2 of them. I'm going to be finishing that challenge at the wire!

What did you get this week?

Slow Cooker Tuesday-Turkey Breast

Did you get a good deal on turkey breast before or after Thanksgiving? Want a quick and easy way to make that turkey without using your oven? I followed Stephanie O'Dea's recipe and got a yummy and moist turkey.

Ignore the huge hole in the side. I wanted a taste before I took pictures.

Tips on the recipe:

I didn't have any wine so I used chicken broth.

I used Old Bay seasoning rather than just salt and pepper. Emeril's Essence seasoning would be good too. 

I had a 6.5 pound turkey in a 6 quart crockpot. It barely fit. 

I cooked it for about 6.5 hours.

If you like crispy skin, this probably isn't the recipe for you. The meat is tender and delicious but the skin is just blah. I removed it after I took the picture.

The Summer Before by Ann M Martin

From Goodreads:
Before there was the Baby-Sitters Club, there were four girls named Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, and Stacey McGill. As they start the summer before seventh grade (also before they start the BSC), each of them is on the cusp of a big change. Kristy is still hung up on hoping that her father will return to her family. Mary Anne has to prove to her father that she's no longer a little girl who needs hundreds of rules. Claudia is navigating her first major crush on a boy. And Stacey is leaving her entire New York City life behind...

...in order to find new friends in Stoneybrook, Connecticut.

The Summer Before . . . is a sweet, moving novel about four girls on the edge of something big - not just the Club that will change their lives, but also all the joys and tribulations of being twelve and thirteen.

I requested from the library The Summer Before because I was a huge Baby-Sitters Club fan back when I was a young girl. I remember rushing to the bookstore on the days the new books were released. I had a huge box that I kept all my BSC books in so I could haul them around with me in the summer. I spent my summers at my parents' work and rather than bring one or two I had to lug my whole collection with me everyday. Man, I loved those books. Especially the Super Special books where the girls took trips to the beach, New York or California. The Summer Before was a lovely trip down memory lane.
The Summer Before is the story of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacy before they start seventh grade and start the Baby-Sitters Club. If you read the BSC, The Summer Before gives you more background to the girls' lives. If you're new to the BSC, then it's a great story about four girls leaving childhood and moving into their teens. Each chapter is told from a different girl's perspective. I was glad to hear from each of them. When I was first reading the books, I really identified with Mary Anne, with an overprotective father who treated her like young child. My mom struggled to let me do age appropriate things, always erring on the side of caution. Today, reading The Summer Before, I felt more connected to Claudia, who felt that she left childhood behind and was now firmly a teen. I've been feeling like I'm leaving certain friends and habits behind like I've outgrown them. I'm in the same awkward stage where I remember them with comfort but remember that's not really who I am anymore. Overall, I enjoyed The Summer Before. The twelve year old in me cheered about reading a BSC book again. Others who shared their thoughts on The Summer Before: The Serpentine Library, My Books. My Life, Brooke's Box Of Books, and Live Through Books.
This was my twenty-eight read for the YA Reading Challenge.

Brownie Surprise (Breeseos)

Are you still full from Thanksgiving dinner? If so or if you are trying to avoid sweets. Skip this post. You will gain weight from just reading this post.
When I first saw this recipe on Heather's Dish, I knew I had to try it. While it sounded so decadent, it also sounded so easy and yummy too. It was so easy and decadent too.

It's a brownie. But surprise! There's an oreo and a peanut butter cup. Seriously how fantastic is that?

This was a great way to use up your leftover Halloween candy! I just love the look on people's faces when you tell them about what's inside the brownie. I really recommend making this for a party. They  were so rich that one was enough for me.

I'm Thankful!

Myspace Graphics

I'm spending the day with family and friends. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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!

Boardwalk Empire

As I've mentioned before, I love Boardwalk Empire (the tv show). I knew it was based on a book, so I put in a request for the book. I'm looking forward to getting more of the history.

Slow Cooker Tuesday-White Bean Soup With Andouille Sausage and Collard Greens

While I was doing some cleaning, I came across an old copy of Real Simple. I saved it because there were several slow cooker recipes I wanted to try. I decided there was no time like the present and made this soup a few days later.

I'm keeping it real with my dirty stove!

Tips on the recipe:

I used 3 cans of cannellini beans (white kidney beans) instead of the dried. 

I only used 1/2 an onion. 

I used my 6 quart crockpot

It was quite yummy. Spicy though. I would add another can of beans and more collard greens next time.

The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge

I decided to try my hand at The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge this year. I'm going for the Mistletoe level (2-4 books). I'll probably also complete the Fa La La La Films level just by watching my favorite holiday movies.
So these are the 3 holiday books I've gotten so far:

The Stupidest Angel

I love me so Christopher Moore. I can't wait to check this one out. 

The Autobiography of Santa Claus

I'd never heard of this one but it sounded cute. 

Letters From Father Christmas

A hundred and twelve pages? Tolkien? I'm hoping to read this one on a snowy afternoon. 

Any can't miss holiday books? Bonus points for short ones!

Squirrel Seeks Chimpmunk by David Sedaris

From Goodreads:
If animals were more like us, if mice kept pets and toads could cuss, if dogs had wives and chipmunks dated, sheep sat still and meditated, then in the forest, field, and dairy you might find this bestiary, read by storks, by rats and kitties, skimmed by cows with milk-stained titties. "I found the book to be most droll," might quip the bear, the owl, the mole, Others, though, would be more coarse. "Bull," could say the pig and horse. As to the scribe, they'd quote the hen: "Trust me, he's no La Fontaine."


I picked up Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk because I do love David Sedaris' writing but I hadn't heard a lot about the book. For some bizarre reason I thought this was a children's book. No, it's not a children's book. In fact I think there are some adults that would be scarred by some of the stories. But it had me chuckling several times though. I am exactly the sick and twisted person that Sedaris wrote this book for.
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is a series of short stories about animals. The animals act like humans and most of the time they are doing adult things-having romances, working, and going to prison. Almost all the stories involve some sort of inter-species relationship-a squirrel that dates a chipmunk, a hippo and an owl that become friends, and a mouse that owns a pet snake. A lot of the stories are dark-plenty of deaths in this short book. But all the stories are satire, poking fun at the way humans are. I think the comparisons worked out well. 
I enjoyed Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. But if you don't like anthropomorphic stories then this is not the book for you. If you don't want to read about graphic deaths of innocent animals, then this is definitely not the book for you. But if you like a good satire and enjoy Schadenfreude, then this would be the book for you. Others who shared their thoughts on Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: You've Gotta Read This, The Perfect Binge, and A Good Stopping Point.

Re-Readathon Plan

I signed up for Jamie's Re-Readathon this weekend. I don't normally re-read my books. Mostly because I feel pressured to read new books to achieve my bookish goals, namely reading 100 books a year. Re-reads do not count. But lately I've been sad. There are few books I read way back before I started blogging that I would like to re-read. Here's my small stack:

The House of Mirth

Probably one of my favorite books of all time. I used to re-read it all the time but haven't in years. I wish my copy had that gorgeous cover! 

Summer Sisters

When I first read Summer Sisters, I went out and bought copies for all of my girlfriends. I insisted that they all read it. I think I read it twice back then. I look forward to reading it again.

Gone With The Wind

If I finish those 2 then I'll reread Gone With The Wind which I haven't read in years and then...

Scarlett

I'll reread Scarlett again. I used to read both of them all the time. 

What are your favorite books to reread?

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 Night Eternal

Yay! I've been anxiously awaiting for this one from the library. I can't wait to finish the Strain trilogy! 

What did you get this week?

Slow Cooker Tuesday-Mushroom Beef

It's getting a little chillier here so I was looking for a recipe that was hearty and comforting. I love recipes that call for gravy. I just know I'm going to enjoy it. Plus this one had mushrooms and beef. Yes, Mushroom Beef recipe was a winner. 

Tips on the recipe: 
I used a 4 quart crock pot. 
I cooked it for 11 hours and the meat was  very tender.

As you can see I substituted the fauxtatoes for the smashed potatoes in the recipe. I loved it over the fauxtatoes but I can see this over mashed potatoes too. I'm sure I'll be making this one again really soon.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.


I picked up Texas Gothic because I had enjoyed The Splendor Falls so much. Sadly I wasn't as taken with Texas Gothic as I was by The Splendor Falls but it was a great ghost story.
Yes, a ghost story. Such a great book to read at this time of year. Amy and her sister Phin are staying at her aunt's house while their aunt is taking a well-deserved vacation. All the Goodnight's have some paranormal ability. Phin studies preternatural science and tries to collect evidence of ghosts. Their cousin Daisy is a clairvoyant. And Amy, well Amy is tired of being a Goodnight. She doesn't want to use spells and potions. She wants people to think she and her family are normal. Unfortunately all sorts of spooky things start happening after Amy and Phin show up and people are not convinced of their normalcy.
I felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story right from the beginning. It took me a while to get into the story. I don't think I was really engrossed in the story until towards the end. It seemed like every time I had a handle on what was going on, another character would show up or we'd learn another fact about the characters that changed everything. When things seem arbitrary, I had a hard time caring.
I wouldn't recommend rushing out and picking this one up. But it wasn't a terrible read. If this one finds its way to you, I would read it. Others who shared their thoughts on Texas Gothic: Resugo's Bookish Paradise, Ink Scratchers, Shooting Stars Mag, and The Crooked Shelf.
This was my twenty-seventh read for the YA Reading Challenge.

 

An Awesome Surprise

The other day Tai emailed me to let me know he had a surprise for me. A coworker had given him something he knew I would like. I wondered all day about what it could be. No, it wasn't that pony I've been wishing for since I was eight. It was a jackfruit!

I've been in love with jackfruit since the first and last time I had it-Vietnamese New Year last year! Tai had told his coworker how much I enjoyed jackfruit so his coworker was able to pick me up one. Thanks Quinn!
But I had no idea how to cut it. I found this helpful internet video to explain how to cut a jackfruit. And from that huge fruit I got this bowl of jackfruit:

There was more but I kept eating it as I cut it. Each piece has a seed, about the size of a marble, inside. It's difficult to describe the taste of jackfruit. I say it a combo of orange and mango but I saw someone else describe as pineapple and mango. I'd say that could be accurate too.
Excuse me, I'm off to enjoy my jackfruit!
*****************
Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served and are currently serving our country. Thank you!!!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

After reading all the hype about The Night Circus, I added it to my queue. The hype is for real. Get your hands on this one. You will not be disappointed.
Not since Harry Potter has a book made me believe in magic. Seriously. I adored the world Morgenstern created and I was very sad to leave when the book was over. I can see rereading this one. Not a fan of magic? That's ok. Because there's a love story, a tale of adventure, and plenty of mystery. In the end the story is about what it is to be human and how we connect and disconnect from the world and others.
At the beginning I felt the story was disjointed. You had Celia over here doing her thing. Marco was doing his. There were side bars about the circus itself, comments from Herr Thiessen. I kept wondering what the heck was going on. But it came together quickly and it became very hard for me to put the book down. It's hard for me to say which character was my favorite because they all became so real to me. Morgenstern did a great job of fleshing out her characters and making their world jump off the page. The circus reminded of Cirque Du Soleil rather than Ringling Brothers which added to my enjoyment of the story.
Highly recommended. One of the best of 2011. Others who shared their thoughts on The Night Circus: The Little Red Reviewer, Jules' Book Reviews, I Write In Books, Book Journey, The Perfect Binge, My Books. My Life, Bibliophile By The Sea, The Written World, Whimpulsive, and Books Devoured.