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.

The Last Apprentice: Revenge of The Witch

The movie Seventh Son is based on Revenge of The Witch. I think the movie looks good (kind of 80's cheesy in a good way) but Jeff Bridges' voice drives me crazy. So book instead.

The Octopus

While looking for interesting historical fiction, I came across The Octopus. Never heard of it  before but sounded interesting. 

To All The Boys I've Loved Before

This one's been on my tbr list for a while. 

What did you get this week? Share your posts below!

Teaser Tuesday-Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase

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!

"Mere moments earlier, Longmore had been primed for murder. Now he had all could do not to laugh."
pg 37 Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase (The Dressmakers #2)

Romancing The Duke by Tessa Dare

January is much to early in the year to have a slump. But nevertheless, I was slumping. I would read 30 pages of a book only to be bored by it. Nothing was catching my interest. My solution is fun romance by a writer I knew I liked. And I had one which also satisfies a category for  the What's In A Name Challenge (a word including "ing" in it). Bonus! And Romancing The Duke was the perfect book to break my slump.

Isolde ("Izzy") Ophelia Goodnight is penniless, hungry, and homeless. After receiving a letter from a solicitor, she journeys to a castle near the Scotland boarder. Izzy hopes that someone left her a few hundred pounds and that might help her get back on her feet. Since her father's passing, Izzy has had a hard time. Izzy's father was a well-known author of The Goodnight Tales. Due to her father's will granting her horrible cousin, the next male heir, his estate, Izzy is hoping to find her fortune in a ramshackle castle. The Duke of Rothbury has been living in his family's castle for the last eight month nursing his wounds. He's content to be alone with his valet, Duncan. Rothbury hopes to be left alone for a very long time.

Izzy is charming. She's lived her life always being thought of as the sweet little girl in the fairy tales her father was famous for. Her father's admirers have helped her get along now that her father is dead and she's penniless. Rothbury is so angry and hurt. He doesn't want anyone in his life and has successfully pushed almost everyone away but then Izzy stumbles into his life and starts to care about him. I enjoyed their romance. They almost instantly lust after one another but they get to know one another, revel their secrets. And, oh, this one's got some steamy scenes! I really liked Romancing The Duke. Another great one by Tessa Dare. I look forward to the rest of the series. Others who shared their thoughts on Romancing The Duke: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, Smexy Books, Pop Goes The Reader, and That Artsy Reader Girl.
Romancing The Duke satisfies the word including "ing" in it category for the What's In A Name Reading Challenge

This is my first read for the 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

What To Eat This Week

Before we talk about the upcoming week, let's review last week.

Japanese Beef Soup.

Pretty bland. No one's favorite. 

Spinach Frittata.

Very good. Everyone enjoyed it. I did add cheese. Served with a simple arugula salad.

Stuffed Pepper Soup.

I put out cheese in case anyone wanted it and cheese was very necessary to this dish. It does taste just like a stuffed bell pepper. Tasty, would make again.

Balsamic Steak Skewers and Sautéed Mushrooms.

Everyone enjoyed this dish. Tai though the steak was amazing. I loved the mushrooms. I would make this again.

Ok what about this coming week?

Lunches: Spaghetti Casserole and BBQ pork sandwiches

Dinners:

 Beefy & Cheesy Low Carb Green Chile Bake

Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Chowder

Dinner Out

Cheeseburger in Paradise

 

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

 

Ground Beef Vegetable Soup

 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

What's on your menu this week?

Weekend Cooking: Chashu

I decided to get started on my goal of learning to make Japanese dishes. One of my favorites is ramen. But one component of good ramen is the delicious pork slices that sit in my tonkotsu ramen. I found this recipe for making the chashu (the yummy pork in my ramen) and followed it pretty closely.

I used pork loin instead of belly but I think I'll try belly next time. It took about 2 hours in total to make. My loin was about twice the size of the recipe so it took longer. We had some over rice with the yummy (salty) sauce it produced.

I look forward to trying my hand at homemade ramen and sharing my results.

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, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

2015 Historical Reading Challenge

I've been doing the Historical Reading Challenge for the last few years. I've really enjoyed it. I'm glad the challenge is still alive over at Passages to the Past. I'm joining up again this year. I'm going for the Medieval level (15 books) this year.

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.

Is it just me or does a new year mean loading up my holds list with tons of books I didn't read last year? I keep adding books to my hold list. I'm going to be busy this month, reading.

Boozehound

Another book for the Foodies Read Challenge. 

Burn For Me

After reading Linda's review, I added it to my library hold list. 

Fear of Flying

While watching Wild, I realized that I've never read any Erica Jong. I decided to remedy that. 

This Shattered World

I adored These Broken Stars. I can't wait to dive into This Shattered World. 

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

Teaser Tuesday-The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

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 move in front of him, deliberately cutting his circuit short. Before I can think, I reach out, touch his shoulder with my gloved hand, and feel the suck of the activating nanohooks."

pg 68 The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Snow by Tracy Lynn

I put Snow on my library hold list for the 2014 What's In A Name Challenge. Alas, the book came to late for me to read it for that challenge. I still wanted to read it. I do like fairy tale retellings.

Snow is the story of Jessica, a princess of a Welsh duke. Snow's mom died when she was young and Snow's dad didn't pay her any attention as he was lost in his own grief. Years go by and Snow grows up happily in the company of servants. Snow's dad decides to remarry and brings a beautiful woman to their castle. The new duchess wants to have a baby but she's slightly older and getting pregnant is a little harder for her. The new duchess is a bit of a scientist and seems to be experimenting with ways to make a baby. The new duchess also has a musical prodigy, Alan, who befriends Snow. When Alan hears that the new duchess intends to murder Snow, Alan encourages Snow to flee the castle and head to London.

I knew this was a retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Lynn makes some changes and places Snow in what I guessed to be Regency London. The original story was there but with some fresh updates. It felt familiar but with some more modern touches.  I enjoyed this retelling. Snow was enjoyable and a quick read. Others who shared their thoughts on Snow: The Book Blog of Evil, Tales As Old As Time, Nose in A Book, and Caught Between The Pages.

What To Eat This Week

The triumphant return of What To Eat This Week. I'm going to be better about meal planning this year. It helps us save money and eat better.

I'm going to skip breakfast although we do eat breakfasts. But they usually aren't interesting so I'll spare you.

Lunch this week is Slow Cooker 13 Bean Soup and mac and cheese.

Dinners:

Monday: Japanese Beef and Rice Soup

Tuesday: Spinach Frittata

Wednesday: Dinner out

Thursday: Stuffed Pepper Soup

Friday: Balsamic Steak Skewers

Saturday: Mexican Rice Skillet

Sunday: Ramen at home

What's on your menu this week?

Twelve Goals for 2015

I stopped making resolutions a long time ago. It was always the same thing-lose weight and get out of debt. The getting out of debt part is done (whew!) and I'm working on the losing weight (30 lbs down). But I want to set some goals for the year. Give me something to work on.

These are my non-bookish goals. My bookish ones can be found here.

1. Make one meatless dinner a week. We are carnivores. We eat a lot of meat. But eating vegetarian one night a week would help the budget and add variety to our diet.

2. Continue working on my fitness and lose another 30 lbs. I'm having fun making my gym routine something to look forward to. I stick to things that are fun to me and I listen to an audiobook while working out. I've signed up at a yoga studio so I'm looking forward to adding yoga back to my routine.

3. Go back to meal planning.  I fell off the meal planning wagon late last year. It was really helpful budget-wise. I've got to start again.

4. Schedule one do nothing, stay home weekend a month. Sometimes we get so busy where we are out both Saturday and Sunday. Nothing gets done at home. And when that happens 3 weekends in a row, the house becomes a disaster.

5. Plan one trip with Tai this year. We talk about going somewhere for a long weekend but never follow through. Even if it's a day trip, we should plan something.

6. Get a will and other necessary estate planning documents done. I work in the aging field and know what happens when people don't plan what they want to do when they are incapacitated. I hope we won't need these documents for a long time but I want to start the conversation.

7. Clean and declutter one room a month. That would be our living room, our bedroom, our spare bedroom (ie my getting ready room), the downstairs hall closet, the upstairs hall closet, the pantry, and the kitchen. I'll even offer to help my dad with his bedroom and office.

8. Do one thing for myself a month. Get a hair cut, a massage, hang out at the spa. Sometimes months go by without me doing anything for myself.

9. Watch older movie (pre-2014) a month. I'm great a going to the movies in theaters but suck at watching older movies at home. Plus it would be something to do on those do nothing weekends. Three movies to start with: Blade Runner, 2001, and Akira.

10. Learn to make 5 Japanese dishes. I keep wanting to learn to make more Japanese food. I even have a cookbook. I just need to start doing it. And I should post about them. You all want to know about my adventures in Japanese cooking, right?

11. Stop complaining and start sharing my gratitude. I have a tendency to bitch about life's inconveniences. I have a lot to be thankful for-a wonderful, loving partner, good friends, a safe place to live, and enough money for the necessities and sometimes the luxuries.

12. Take 2 cooking classes-one skill building (like a knife class) and one food related (like a Thai class or a tamale making class). I've taken cooking classes before and I enjoy doing it. I'd like to improve my kitchen skills and learn to make new dishes.

Every month I'll post my progress on these goals.

Do you have any goals this year?

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.

The first library loot of 2015. What shall we read this year?

The Zen of Fish

I'm super excited to be doing the Foodies Read Challenge again after a hiatus on my part. And this one is for that challenge.

Paris, My Sweet

Another one for the Foodies Read Challenge.

Snow

I had gotten Snow for the 2014 What's In A Name Challenge but it came too late. I'll still read it. 

What did you get to start the year? Add your link below.

Challenge Completed: 2014 What's In A Name

2014 was the first time I'd joined the What's In Name Challenge. I had fun and I'm doing it again this year. But here's my 2014 wrap up first:

• A reference to time: The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
• A position of royalty: Eleven Scandals To Start To Win A Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean
• A number written in letters: Ten Ways To Be Adored When Landing A Lord by Sarah MacLean
• A forename or names: Clara and Mr Tiffany by Susan Vreeland
• A type or element of weather: Pride and Precipitation by Heather Horrocks

Challenge Completed: 2014 Historical Reading Challenge

I planned to read 10 Historical books. I read 17.

Books read for this challenge:

-The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

-The Devil Wears Kilts by Suzanne Enoch

-Once Upon A Kiss by Jayne Fresina

-A Lady By Midnight by Tessa Dare

-A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

-Somerset by Leila Meacham

-Trapped At The Altar by Jane Feather

-Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase

-A Night To Surrender by Tessa Dare

-Once Upon A Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare
-Tsarina by J. Nellie Patrick
-Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

-Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

-The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

-I Shall Be Near To You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

-A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

-Wild Heart by Lori Brighton

Challenge Completed: 2014 Romance Reading Challenge

I set out to read 12 romance novels. I read 27!

Here's what I read:

-Enchanting the Lady by Katheryne Kennedy

-Just One Year by Gayle Forman

-Just One Night by Gayle FormanA Lady By Midnight by Tessa Dare

-A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

-Once Upon A Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare
-A Beginner's Guide To Rakes by Suzanne Enoch

-What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

-Enchanting The Beast by Kathryne Kennedy

-Sense and Sensibility by Joanne Trollope

-Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare

-The Devil Wears Kilts by Susan Enoch

-Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
-Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

-Once Upon A Kiss by Jayne Fresina

-Royally Lost by Angie Stanton

-Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase

-Trapped At the Altar by Jane Feather

-The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

-A Night To Surrender by Tessa Dare

-Wild Heart by Lori Brighton

-Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

-Double Enchantment by Kathryne Kennedy

-The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

-A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

-The One by Kiera Cass

-A Night To Surrender by Tessa Dare

-Wild Desire by Lori Brighton

December Book Tally and 2015 Bookish Goals

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Steifvater
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Hawkeye vol 3 by Matt Fraction
A Beginner's Guide To Rakes by Suzanne Enoch
In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare
Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
Centaur Rising by Jane Yolen
Pride and Precipitation by Heather Horrocks
The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

I actually reviewed quite a few books in December. Plus I read some good ones too.

Stats:

Romance Reading Challenge This month: 2 ( Any Duchess Will Do and A Beginner's Guide To Rakes) YTD: 27

Historical Reading Challenge  This month: 2 ( Any Duchess Will Do and A Beginner's Guide To Rakes)) YTD: 17

What's In A Name Challenge This month:1 (Pride and Precipitation) YTD: 6

Yearly Total: 152

How did I do on my goals?

-Participate in the What's In A Name Challenge. Done. Read all 6 books for that challenge.

-Read 10 books for the Historical Reading Challenge. Done. I actually read 17.

-Participate in the Book Bingo Challenge. Done. I'm a super reader. I finished that one in October. So sad this one won't be back in 2015 :(

-Read 12 books for the Romance Reading Challenge. Done. I read 28 romances.

-Read 150 books! Done. I read 152!

2015 Bookish Goals

-Participate in the What's In A Name Challenge.

-Read and review 24 books for the Graphic Novel and Manga Challenge.

-Read 14-18 books for the Foodies Read Challenge.

-Read 150 books!

2014 End of The Year Book Survey

Number Of Books You Read: 152
Number of Re-Reads: 2 (Ready Player One & The Hunger Games)
Genre You Read The Most From: YA (48) edged out Graphic Novels (44)

 

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

(If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

Fiction-Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
YA-These Broken Stars by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman
Graphic Novel-In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang
Historical Fiction-Eleven Scandal's To Start To Win A Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Sense & Sensibility by Joanne Trollope. It's my favorite Austen book. I didn't care for the update version. 

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014? 

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang. I didn't know much going in but was blown away. Excellent graphic novel. 

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

The Property by Rutu Modan, Constance by Rosie Thomas, Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, These Broken Stars by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman, and Can We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast.

 5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

Started and finished Just One Day series by Gayle Forman and loved it.
Best Sequel- Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

Gayle Forman, Sarah Diemer, Matthew Quick, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I read one classic this year, Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck. I enjoyed it more than other classics.

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Big Little Lies. Really had to stop reading.

 9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

In Real Life

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

These Broken Stars.

That dress!

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

Junior from The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian. 

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

It's a three way tie: Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour, The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, and Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

Boy21 by Matthew Quick and Rites of Passage by Joy N Hensley both caused me to think after I finished the books.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 

The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Why did I wait so long? I still need to read more of his books. 

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

“It's an understandable impulse, to be on the floor when everything is falling apart, like you just want to feel the solid ground beneath you. When you're on the floor, there's nowhere farther to fall.” 
― Emery Lord, Open Road Summer

“And that's when I understand that I have been stained. Whether I'm still in love with him, whether he was ever in love with me, and no matter who he's in love with now, Willem changed my life. He showed me how to get lost, and then I showed myself how to get found.” 
― Gayle Forman, Just One Day

“I used to think the world was broken down by tribes,' I said. 'By Black and White. By Indian and White. But I know this isn't true. The world is only broken into two tribes: the people who are assholes and the people who are not.” 
― Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

“I can always look up at the cosmos and marvel, no matter what happens. And when I look up at it, I feel as though my problems are small. I don't know why, but it always makes me feel better.” 
― Matthew Quick, Boy21

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Shortest-Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (32 pages)
Longest-The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donelly (736 pages)

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

Big Little Lies. 

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Lilac and Tarver from These Broken Stars

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Sarah and Linda from Lies We Tell Ourselves.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Parasite by Mira Grant. 

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Lisa recommended Fire & Flood. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

Tarver from These Broken Stars. Guy from Fire & Flood is a close second. 

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Howl's Moving Castle.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

The Library by Sarah Stewart was loaned to me by a friend. Definitely put a grin on my face. 

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

These Broken Stars

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Centaur Rising by Jane Yolen. Haven't heard many people talking about it. 

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

These Broken Stars

.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donelly

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

Armada by Ernest Cline or Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

Fairest by Marissa Meyer