I'm an archaeologist, but probably not the one you were expecting. | {{Book Review}} Big Bang Generation

I'm an archaeologist, but probably not the one you were expecting. | {{Book Review}} Big Bang Generation

Christmas 2015, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Imagine everyone's surprise when a time portal opens up in Sydney Cove. Imagine their shock as a massive pyramid now sits beside the Harbour Bridge, inconveniently blocking Port Jackson and glowing with energy. Imagine their fear as Cyrrus "the mobster" Globb, Professor Horace Jaanson and an alien assassin called Kik arrive to claim the glowing pyramid. Finally imagine everyone's dismay when they are followed by a bunch of con artists out to spring their greatest grift yet.

This gang consists of Legs (the sexy comedian), Dog Boy (providing protection and firepower), Shortie (handling logistics), Da Trowel (in charge of excavation and history) and their leader, Doc (busy making sure the universe isn't destroyed in an explosion that makes the Big Bang look like a damp squib).

And when someone accidentally reawakens The Ancients of the Universe - which, Doc reckons, wasn't the wisest or best-judged of actions – things get a whole lot more complicated…

My Thoughts:

The Big Bang Generation is yet another awesome novel in the Doctor Who series. I really enjoyed this book, and I know my oldest child will as well! Be warned there is mild language in this book

{{Book Review}} Doctor Who: Deep Time | "I do hope you’re all ready to be terrified!"

The Phaeron disappeared from the universe over a million years ago. They travelled among the stars using roads made from time and space, but left only relics behind. But what actually happened to the Phaeron? Some believe they were they eradicated by a superior force… Others claim they destroyed themselves.

 

Or were they in fact the victims of an even more hideous fate?

In the far future, humans discover the location of the last Phaeron road – and the Doctor and Clara join the mission to see where the road leads. 

 

Each member of the research team knows exactly what they’re looking for – but only the Doctor knows exactly what they’ll find.

Because only the Doctor knows the true secret of the Phaeron: a monstrous secret so terrible and powerful that it must be buried in the deepest grave imaginable…

*My Review*

I am a HUGE Doctor Who fan, and absolutely loved this book. "Doctor Who:Deep Time" is a nicely written book. My 12 year old loves to read, so I will be passing this book on to them to read as well. I can't wait to read the other books. The cover is pretty cool as well! 

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my opinion. All opinions are my own. 

Book Review: Treat

The best dump-and-stir dessert just got better.
 
With creative mix-ins, homemade marshmallows in 10 fun flavors, and toppings galore, Crispy Treats takes this tried-and-true, easy-peasy snack-time favorite to the next level. Without fancy equipment—or even an oven—you can mix and match candies, chocolates, and more to make 40 irresistible goodies, including such flavors as: 
 


   • Salted Caramel & Pretzel 
   • Chocolate-Hazelnut 
   • Peanut Butter Cup 
   • Berry Cobbler 
   • Gingerbread 
   • Key Lime Pie 
   • Peanut Butter Cup 
   • White Chocolate–Cranberry 

*My Thoughts*
I love rice crispy treats, and this book has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Some of my favorites are keylime pie, gingerbread, & peanut butter cup. If you like sweets, then you will want to check out this book! 

Disclamier:
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. 

With creative mix-ins, homemade marshmallows in 10 fun flavors, and toppings galore, Crispy Treats takes this tried-and-true, easy-peasy snack-time favorite to the next level. Without fancy equipment—or even an oven—you can mix and match candies, chocolates, and more to make 40 irresistible goodies, including such flavors as: 
 


   • Salted Caramel & Pretzel 
   • Chocolate-Hazelnut 
   • Peanut Butter Cup 
   • Berry Cobbler 
   • Gingerbread 
   • Key Lime Pie 
   • Peanut Butter Cup 
   • White Chocolate–Cranberry 
   • Cookies & Cream

With creative mix-ins, homemade marshmallows in 10 fun flavors, and toppings galore, Crispy Treats takes this tried-and-true, easy-peasy snack-time favorite to the next level. Without fancy equipment—or even an oven—you can mix and match candies, chocolates, and more to make 40 irresistible goodies, including such flavors as: 
 


   • Salted Caramel & Pretzel 
   • Chocolate-Hazelnut 
   • Peanut Butter Cup 
   • Berry Cobbler 
   • Gingerbread 
   • Key Lime Pie 
   • Peanut Butter Cup 
   • White Chocolate–Cranberry 
   • Cookies & Cream

Book Review: You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life

‘You first’ is about respecting and understanding what you really want—and then going out to achieve it.
 
In Brunette Ambition, Lea Michele shared a lot of the secrets and stories behind her success, and how she manages to live a balanced and healthy lifestyle despite her hectic schedule. Now, in her second book, she will teach readers how they, too, can be their best selves. In Lea's opinion, keeping a journal and asking yourself the hard questions about what you want out of life is the best way to achieve your dreams, so she has outlined a series of exercises, prompts, and lists based on her own personal program. Lea's guided journal will address all the topics she wrote about in Brunette Ambition, including fitness, diet, work, school, and relationships, but with all-new material to help readers reach their goals. Peppered between the advice and exercises will be fun personal anecdotes from Lea to motivate and inspire readers to put themselves first and live their best life.

This is a great book to get if you are interested in keeping a Journal. I got this one for my Wife. This book has a lot of in depth questions. It has 4 parts: You, Ambitions, Relationships and Happiness. This would make a great gift for someone!

*Disclaimer*
I received this book free in exchange for my opinion. All opinions are 100% my own.

When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide

Coulrophobia--the fear of clowns--is very real and for good reason. You might think these red-nosed jokers are creepy, sure, but certainly not dangerous. You’d be wrong. Clowns never reveal their real names, and dress to obscure their identities. The rules of civilized society don't apply to them (what other stranger could offer candy to children and get away with it?), they have countless places to hide weapons on their person, and their appearance is downright unnatural. Clowns are the scariest people on earth, and the truth is, they are coming for your valuables, your children, and your sanity.
In this comprehensive guide to self-protection from clown creepery, petty crime, and violence, Chuck Sambuchino--founder of the anti-clown group Red Nose Alert--delves into the terrifying clown underworld to provide the knowledge you need to know to protect yourself from these seemingly innocuous gagmen, using his proven four-step system: ASSESS, ANALYZE, DEFEND, PROTECT.  Included within are instructions on how to defeat a clown in close combat, tips for spotting the plainclothes clown, and tutorials for fully clown-proofing your home against these painted and bewigged warriors. Most importantly, you’ll learn what to do when clowns attack… because it’s only a matter of time before they do.

*My Review*
I originally got this book as a joke between my wife and I. She is DEATHLY afraid of clowns, but when it arrived she actually wanted to read it. She says it's so she could learn how to defend herself(and our children) from the evil minions. "When Clowns Attack: When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide "is a very funny read. It has made me look at clowns on a whole new, scarier level that I never imagined. It tells all the sneaky ways that clowns are dangerous and how they cause trouble. My favorite part, was the clown lingo...and who would have thought clowns worked together in groups like the mafia? Apparently "The Honkers" run Dallas, Texas. Guess it's a good thing we don't travel to Dallas often! 

Did you know there was an actual serial killer clown in the 1970s? Creepy, right? If you want a funny, yet creepy read....check this book out! 

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own

God Gave Us Sleep

“Little Cub!” Mama called. “Time for bed.” 

Little Cub is having so much fun building an igloo with her friends that she doesn’t want to stop for bedtime! Who needs sleep when there’s fun to be had? Mama patiently answers her child’s questions as she puts her to bed, explaining the importance of daily rhythms of work, play, and rest. As they talk through the fears that come with nighttime—and work through Little Cub’s endless stalling tactics—our favorite bear learns to realize that God gave us sleep as a vital gift.
 
 
“God gave us rest so we have energy for our day, and patience to enjoy it. And so we have quiet time to listen to him.”
 
This charming addition to the best-selling God Gave Us series, with its Arctic characters and relevant message, will help all little ones prepare for a peaceful night’s rest.

I requested this book for my two younger children, in hopes that they would go to bed easier if they had a book that was about sleep. ha ha on me. They did enjoy this book though, and I love that it tells how God created sleep and how important it is for our bodies to get rest. 

*I received this book free in exchange for my honest opinion*

Book Review| Martha Stewarts Appetizers

Hors d’oeuvres made modern: Today’s style of entertaining calls for fuss-free party foods that are easy to make and just as delicious as ever. With more than 200 recipes for tasty pre-dinner bites, substantial small plates, special-occasion finger foods, and quick snacks to enjoy with drinks, Martha Stewart’s Appetizers is the new go-to guide for any type of get-together. 

I love cookbooks, so it's no surprise that I absolutely love this book. I'm always looking for new snacks to try and new appetizers. This book is truly amazing. It is 256 pages long and is full of wonderful recipes and beautiful photos. There are a few things in this book that I won't touch...but there are many that I love and cannot wait to make again.


*Disclaimer*
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Reservations for two

A culinary concoction of taking chances and finding love in the most delectable places
 
 
Food writer-turned-restaurateur Juliette D’Alisa has more than enough on her plate. While her trip to Provence might have unlocked new answers to her grandmother’s past, it’s also provided new complications in the form of Neil McLaren, the man she can’t give up. 
 
Juliette and Neil find romance simple as they travel through Provence and Tuscany together, but life back home presents a different set of challenges. Juliette has a restaurant to open, a mother combating serious illness, and a family legacy of secrets to untangle – how does Neil, living so far away in Memphis, fit into to her life? 
 
As she confronts an uncertain future, Juliette can’t help but wish that life could be as straightforward as her chocolate chip cookie recipe. Can her French grandmother’s letters from the 1940’s provide wisdom to guide her present? Or will every new insight create a fresh batch of mysteries?

*My Wife's Thoughts*

I requested this book for my wife to review because she was looking for a new book to read. As we were browsing the site looking for a book, she had me stop on this one because it peaked her interest. 

If you are looking to read a good romance, then you might just like this book.  Hillary Manton Lodge did a great job with detailing in this book. My wife said she enjoyed reading about the different culture. The recipes in this book are really good too.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Daily Painting-A Book Review

A unique system for jump-starting artistic creativity, encouraging experimentation and growth, and increasing sales for artists of all levels, from novices to professionals.
  
Do you want to bring the joy back into your art?

Have you landed in a frustrating rut? Are you having trouble selling paintings in galleries, getting bogged down by projects you can’t seem to finish or abandon, or finding excuses to avoid working in the studio? Author Carol Marine knows exactly how you feel—she herself suffered from painter’s block, until she discovered “daily painting.” The idea is simple: do art (usually small) often (how often is up to you), and if you’d like, post and sell it online. Soon you’ll find that your block dissolves and you’re painting work you love—and more of it than you ever thought possible! 

With her encouraging tone and useful exercises, Marine teaches you to:
-Master composition and value
-Become confident in any medium
-Choose subjects wisely 
-Stay fresh and loose 
-Photograph, post, and sell your art online
-Become connected to the growing movement of daily painters around the world

-My Review-

This is a wonderful book packed full of valuable information. I looked through the book and immediately. I don't paint(very well lol), but I requested this book for a young teen who at the moment has beaten her cancer! She loves to paint and it wonderful at it. I thought she would enjoy this book. 

Disclaimer-I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest review. 

Rooted in Design-Book Review

A stylish and full-color guide to creatively integrating indoor plants with home decor from the owners of the popular Sprout Home garden design boutiques.

Indoor plants play a large role in the design and feel of a space. Focusing on indoor gardening--from small containers and vertical installations with air plants to unique tabletop creations--Rooted in Design provides readers with the means to create beautiful and long-lasting indoor landscapes. Tara Heibel and Tassy De Give, owners of the successful Sprout Home gardening stores, offer expert advice for choosing plant varieties and pairing them with unique design ideas. Sharing practical tips honed through hundreds of plant design classes, Heibel and DeGive tell readers everything they need to know to care for their one-of-a-kind green creations.


Rooted in Design shows beautiful and creative ways to use indoor plants as art and decor. I really wish more information about how to keep the plants alive would have been added. The book includes instructions for building the different types of displays and containers for the plants. I think that this book has the potential to inspire people to use plants in their home decor.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest review. All opinions given are my own.

Book Review- Just Add Watercolor

A beautifully illustrated, easy-to-navigate guide to creating contemporary watercolors, pairing full-page paintings with insights and tips for artists.
     Featuring 200 of the best works of young, modern watercolor painters, paired with bite-sized painting tips and art instruction, Just Add Watercolor gives aspiring artists access to information about–and examples of–top work in the medium. Artist and instructor Helen Birch breaks down each painting by techniques, subject matter, and tools, providing art enthusiasts and painters with a one-stop resource and gallery of the best that modern watercolor has to offer. Its small trim size with one painting per spread provides a bold, but user-friendly alternative to traditional, process-heavy painting instruction texts. Just Add Watercolor shines the spotlight on featured paintings, while still giving readers all the insights needed to get started painting in this popular medium.


My Thoughts-
This is a great book. It's smaller than I expected, not sure why I thought it would be a bigger book. It's about the size of a greeting card, with over 200 pages full of beautiful images, ideas, suggestions, and techniques from about 70 different watercolor artists. 

Each page spread features a full-color print of watercolor art on one side (sometimes a grid of several from the same artist), and one or two paragraphs on technique, plus a "tip" on the facing page.

There are no step-by-steps in this book. There's no "here's how to get started in watercolor". Instead, this book is more of a tiny exhbit of gorgeous watercolor works, plus a little insight on how the artist created them.

This is such a great book. I actually requested this book for review, send this book to a friend who loves painting. Highly recommended.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my feedback. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Sweetapolita Bakebook: 75 Fanciful Cakes, Cookies & More to Make & Decorate

Paint, doodle, and sprinkle your way to stunning one-of-a-kind sweets. 
 
The world of Sweetapolita is sparkly and sprinkly and charming as can be, with 75 recipes for everything from pretty homemade cookies to decadent layer cakes. But what really sets these treats apart are interactive designs that let everyone in on the fun of decorating: Painted Mini Cakes are served with edible “paint” for guests to personalize at the table, the fondant-covered tiered Chalk-a-Lot cake is paired with homemade edible “chalk,” and Rainbow Doodle cookies are made for kids to go to town on with edible markers. 
 
Rosie Alyea, the creator of the Sweetapolita blog, frolics in flour and frosting, and she loves to get her two young daughters involved, too. The pages of her debut book are full of playful ideas that will inspire creativity in bakers of all levels—including a recipe for making sprinkles at home and numerous ways to showcase them, such as the Sprinkle-Me-Silly Pizza with rainbow jimmies and nonpareils galore. 
 
With 75 full-color photographs of cookies, cakes, and more plus step-by-step technique tutorials, The Sweetapolita Bakebook will change the way bakers decorate, while entertaining every kid—and kid-at-heart.

*My Review*

This book has so many amazing recipes. It has things I didn't even know about and I have been baking for many years. My grandmother taught me to cook and bake at a young age, and for that I am so thankful. This book has such useful information and how-to's. I am excited to try out all the recipes! I even found the perfect recipe for my wife's birthday next week.

Sweetapolita has so many cute ideas. There are a bunch of recipes that children would enjoy helping with. I have three children(11, 5, & 3) and they have all looked through this book many times to see which recipe they want to help make. 

From the moment this book arrived at my door I haven't been able to stop looking all the wonderful recipes and all the information this book had.

I recommend this book to everyone who loves cooking/baking...I would say for that special woman in your life, but I'm a guy and I absolutely love this book. It would make a great wedding/housewarming gift! 

*Disclaimer* 

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest review. 

{{Book Review}} Franklin Barbecue by Aaron Franklin

A complete meat- and brisket-cooking education from the country's most celebrated pitmaster and owner of the wildly popular Austin restaurant Franklin Barbecue--winner of Texas Monthly's coveted Best Barbecue Joint in Texas award.

When Aaron Franklin and his wife, Stacy, opened up a small barbecue trailer on the side of an Austin, Texas, interstate in 2009, they had no idea what they’d gotten themselves into. Today, Franklin Barbecue has grown into the most popular, critically lauded, and obsessed-over barbecue joint in the country (if not the world)—and Franklin is the winner of every major barbecue award there is.
 
In this much-anticipated debut, Franklin and coauthor Jordan Mackay unlock the secrets behind truly great barbecue, and share years’ worth of hard-won knowledge. Franklin Barbecue is a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, with chapters dedicated to building or customizing your own smoker; finding and curing the right wood; creating and tending perfect fires; sourcing top-quality meat; and of course, cooking mind-blowing, ridiculously delicious barbecue, better than you ever thought possible.

*My Review*
As you can see from my other reviews that I usually review cook books! I Love BBQ and this book is simply amazing, while it isn't FULL of recipes, it does tell you everything you need to know about creating the perfect meat. It also tells you how to build a smoker. I personally cannot wait to build my own and start using the tips and tricks shown in this book! 

*Disclaimer*
I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest opinion

Punch Bowls and Pitcher Drinks by Jeanne Kelley and Sarah Tenaglia -Book Review-

Find inspiration in fresh fruit, smoky spices, and potent spirits, and mix a bowl or pitcher of punch for any occasion or season. Whether it's a drink served in champagne flutes at a holiday party or in Mason jars and paper cups in the backyard, you'll take cocktail hour to a whole new level with every one of these drinks:

• CLASSIC COCKTAILS, such as Pimm’s Punch
• SANGRIAS AND CHAMPAGNE-BASED PUNCHES, such as Meyer Lemon Drop Champagne Punch
• TROPICAL DRINKS, such as Kumquat-Tangerine Smash
• HEIGHT OF SUMMER, such as Watermelon-Tequila Punch
• FIRESIDE COCKTAILS, such as Aztec Chocolate Punch
• NONALCOHOLIC PUNCHES, such as Mixed Berry Lemonade

My Thoughts

This book is packed full of excellent recipes and ideas for fun party drinks.

My absolute favorite punch is the Vampire Brew! This is a non-alcholic fun punch that is perfect for Halloween.

This book is going on my recipe shelf for keeps.

*Disclaimer*
I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest opinion

The Postage Stamp Vegetable Garden- A Book Review-

This classic gardening bestseller (over 500,000 copies sold) uses ecologically friendly, intensive biodynamic methods to produce large amounts of vegetables in very tiny spaces. Revised for an all new generation of gardeners, the 40th anniversary edition includes brand new information on the variety of heirloom vegetables available today and how to grow them the postage stamp way. 

     To accommodate today's lifestyles, a garden needs to fit easily into a very small plot, take as little time as possible to maintain, require a minimum amount of water, and still produce prolifically. That's exactly what a postage stamp garden does. Postage stamp gardens are as little as 4 by 4 feet, and, after the initial soil preparation, they require very little extra work to produce a tremendous amount of vegetables--for instance, a 5-by-5-foot bed will produce a minimum of 200 pounds of vegetables. 

When first published 40 years ago, the postage stamp techniques, including closely planted beds rather than rows, vines and trailing plants grown vertically to free up space, and intercropping, were groundbreaking. Now, in an ever busier world, the postage stamp intensive gardening method continues to be invaluable for gardeners who wish to weed, water, and work a whole lot less yet produce so much more.

*My Review*

My wife and I are planting gardens this year. She is particularly excited about this, because this year. I have been planning and scheming all winter, deciding which veggies we want to grow.

This is a great book for anyone who likes to grow garden. There is quite a bit of useful information from this book. If you are looking to get the most out of your garden space, check out The Postage Stamp Vegetable Garden.

*Disclaimer*

I recieved this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest opinion. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Book Review- Lighten up y'all

A collection of classic Southern comfort food recipes--including seven-layer dip, chicken and gravy, and strawberry shortcake--made lighter, healthier, and completely guilt-free.
  
Virginia Willis is not only an authority on Southern cooking, a French-trained chef, and a veteran cookbook author; she is also a proud Southerner who adores eating and cooking for family and friends. So when she needed to drop a few pounds and generally lighten up her diet, the most important criterion for her new lifestyle was that all the food had to taste delicious.

The result is Lighten Up, Y’all, a soul-satisfying and deeply personal collection of Virginia’s new favorite recipes. All the classics are covered—from a comforting Southern Style Shepherd’s Pie with Grits to warm, melting Broccoli Mac and Cheese to Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie. Each dish is packed with real Southern flavor, but made with healthier, more wholesome ingredients and techniques. Wherever you are on your health and wellness journey, Lighten Up, Y’all has the recipes, tools, and inspiration you need to make the nourishing, down-home Southern food you love.

*My Review*

The author has taken several of the classic southern recipes and recreated them to make them healthy and less fattening. So we enjoy can enjoy our favorite food and not feel guilty about it. I love that the author uses a lot of fresh garden ingredients, fat-free substitutes, and baking instead of frying. The book has a ton of colorful photographs and nutritional information with every recipe.

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest opinion. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own 

A Good Food Day-Book Review

WHAT IS A GOOD FOOD DAY? A day when feeling good and eating well go hand in hand.

Imagine a whole day in which every meal was full of healthy and delicious ingredients. After years of thoughtless eating that led to weight gain and poor health, chef Marco Canora knew he had to make every day a good food day—but he wasn’t willing to give up flavor for health. Instead of dieting, he decided to make simple, natural recipes fit for a food lover’s palate.

Marco explains the secret powers of good-for-you ingredients (such as low-GI carbohydrates and alkaline-forming greens), and then builds them into recipes that are all about satisfaction, such as Amaranth Polenta with Tuscan Kale, Black Rice Seafood Risotto, Citrus-Spiked Hazelnut and Rosemary Granola, and Chickpea Crepe Sandwiches. He covers techniques to coax natural flavor out of dishes, including infusing seasoning into vegetable salads and pounding fresh herbs and spices into lean meats.

To make a lasting change in your diet, the food you eat has to be delicious. A Good Food Day is for people who love real food, and know that healthy and flavorful can go hand in hand.

*My Review*

This book is wonderful! It's full of so many mouth-watering recipes. There's so many great recipes. They are all easy to understand and to the point. 

*Disclaimer*

I received this book free from bloggingforbooks.org in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are 100% my own.