Clean Slate

I wanted to get clean slate because I needed a new cookbook for healthier recipes that are still delicious. This book definitely fulfilled that need. It is separated  into a few section, such as meals, smoothies, desserts and a few others for different cooking needs. The photographs in the book also go great with all the food in it and the recipes are easy to follow. There is a lot of theory behind why the food is healthy and needed and a large variety of different foods to meet any person's preferences. One thing that I was surprised by was that it wasn't a vegetarian cookbook. I'm not sure if I expected this from the cover or back cover, but I expected it to be vegetarian. It does contain a lot of vegetarian recipes though, so I was not entirely let down!
I would recommend this cookbook to anyone that wants to eat healthier and still wants good food! The recipes are easy to follow and do not require you to have a strong culinary background! Everything I have made out of it so far has been excellent, and I would recommend this book to my friends.

The Secrets of Life and Death by Rebecca Alexander

This was a good book, although it took a while for the plot to rise to the surface. The story is told from three different characters' perspectives, one from 1585 and two from modern day England. At first, it was confusing to put together each of their perspectives and experiences, but as the storyline progressed, the characters' lives started to intertwine and fold into a very captivating plot.

The light use of historically-based events and facts made this novel very interesting to read. Because of this use, it reminded me of the style of Dan Brown's The da Vinci Code, but with history of witchcraft and mysticism in the Medieval Period finding its way into the present and helping characters to solve a mystery. Not only did this novel contain aspects of mystery, but it also had romance, action which made it exciting to read.

Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence

Homemade Decadence by Joy Wilson is my first real cookbook and it was extraordinary! I had cooking experience and liked baking a lot, and this cookbook focuses on easy desserts to make, which made it perfect for me. I brought it home to show my mom, whom bakes a lot and she loved it too! I would recommend this cookbook for pretty much anybody that is interested in baking! It is divided into five categories: brunch; cookies, brownies and bars; pies, crumbles and cobbles; layer cakes, cupcakes and skillet cakes; and ice cream social. There is something to bake for any occasion. I've made truffles already and they were amazing, everyone was impressed and wanted my truffles. I am a college student and still find this cookbook great, it does not require extensive knowledge in baking and would be a great present for the upcoming holiday season!

Shake by Eric Prum and Josh Williams

I got Shake in the mail a few days ago and already am loving it! It starts with a quick story of Eric and Josh and their love of cocktails and keeping them simple, which is the theme of the entire book. It also starts off with mixing techniques and the different liquors you should have stocked, which is helpful for the book. The Book is split up into the four seasons and the perfect cocktails for each season; it currently being fall has already shown in my drinks since I received this book. Every recipe is set up simply and with straightforward instructions. I've tried a few of the drinks so far and I must say they are great. This book will definitely be a highlight for get-togethers with friends to try all the different drinks.

The artwork and photography in the book is very appealing and inviting to try something new. The cover stays true to the simple theme of this recipe book and the simplicity is what keeps the reader and cocktail drinker intrigued. There is much variance in the drinks and something everyone will surely enjoy. I would recommend this book to any one that owns a mason jar and enjoys cocktails.

Tantric Coconuts by Greg Kincaid.

Tantric Coconuts by Greg Kincaid tells the story of Ted Day, a lawyer in a small town. When Ted's grandfather dies, he realizes he needs to go on a vacation and does so in his old RV. Right as he leaves his little town, he literally runs into Angel Two Sparrow, a spiritual advisor also traveling the country. She takes Ted on a spiritual journey, teaching him about different religions and about himself. The novel taught me many things I did not know about religions and also was enlightening to read on its own.

This novel has been life changing. The way it presents different ideas and the philosophy of Angel truly taught me more about the way I think about the world and about religion. Reading this makes the reader go on as much of a journey as Ted Day does, maybe it's because there's a little bit of Ted Day inside of all of us that we need to realize and grow from. I would highly recommend this novel to any person of any age. It would be best for people that may feel lost or confused when it comes to religion or spirituality because this will help take anyone on a journey discovering anything they need help with spiritually. 

There was not many problems with this novel. The only change I would have liked to see if for it to be longer or have a sequel of some sorts. I really did not want to put this down and it really kept me thinking when I did have to put it down. Kincaid excels at character development, you can feel how Ted and Angel change and grow throughout the novel through their journey together and this causes the reader to grow too because of how relatable the characters are. Another strength of this novel is how easy it is to visualize the scenery and feel the setting of the novel. When they travel to different areas in the country, it feels as if the reader is right in the backseat with Ted and Angel as they travel and meditate. 

Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh

Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh was an interesting novel. I was not sure what to expect going into it, but am happy I did decide to read it. I normally am a huge fan of post-apocolyptic novels, but this one was different. It didn't focus as much on society as it does the characters of the novel. Spademan, a garbageman, is the protagonist of Shovel Ready, and it is easy to understand his rational and thinking. He has a past and personality that keeps him interesting and morals in a society that most have given up on.

The structure of Shovel Ready is pretty standard: a common man must fight an evil man that has taken control of the land to save the princess. I was hoping for some plot twists, but there was not many, making the novel somewhat boring at parts. It could have been better with surprises or being a little more unpredictable. One of my favorite things of Shovel Ready is how well Sternbergh describes plot and helps the ready to understand the society and what the characters are dealing with.

One of the biggest problems with the novel is the formatting. The story is told in thoughts that each come as separate paragraphs, making it a quick read; however, this formatting get repetitive and can be confusing at times when switching between thoughts and dialogues. Also, I'm not sure if it was the font or spacing between lines, I could not speed read as quickly as normal because I lost focus on words due to formatting.

Overall, I would recommend Shovel Ready to anyone that likes a quick read about a post-apocolyptic novel that is action packed and has many Christian motifs.

The Ballad of a Small Player review

"Lord" Doyle was man who had to flee England with money he was hoping to gamble away. This novel is a story of the abusive relationship a man has with gambling and a relationship the reader will root on with a woman Lord Doyle meets through his adventure through Macau. Baccarat is the game of choice because it is fast paced and based on luck, meaning you can win or lose everything in minutes making it difficult to walk away from the table, and this is what fuels Lord Doyle's gambling addiction.

Lord Doyle is a protagonist that the reader will root on and sympathize with during his hard-falls. Learning his story and the story of his friends will make it easy to connect with him and the character development throughout the novel helps the reader to understand his thinking even when it is difficult to agree with. Finishing the novel, I wanted to know what happens next to the protagonist and how his life will work once the story is over.

Overall, the mood of the novel moves up and down and as a reader, I found it hard to put the book down during both moods. I have always had a fascination with gambling and card games, and would recommend this novel to anyone else with similar interests. It shows the depression and ecstasy that can come with a gambling addiction. There is also culture and superstitions from Macao that I learned from this novel, giving me insight into a new culture.