Eat A Little Better {a review}

Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass, former White House chef and senior food policy advisor to President Obama, has a wealth of information and a lot of great tips for finding easy ways to make meals more healthy.

I liked that the seasons were taken into account because a lot of times I come across recipes that require things that are not in season. Kass has multiple grain recipes (farro, bulgur, etc) that incorporate seasonal items.

I was not a fan of the seafood section. I thought most of the recipes looked pretty gross (Sardine Smash Toasts? No, thank you).

Overall, I would give this a 3 out of 5. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. I was hoping for more appealing recipes to motivate me to "eat a little better".

For more info on the author click here.

For more info on the book click here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Erika

Sibley Birds of Land, Sea, and Sky {a review}

 This set of 50 postcards by ornithologist David Allen Sibley comes in a neat box and is divided by tabs for waterfowl, woodpeckers, wading birds, songbirds and owls & raptors. I thought all of the illustrations were lovely and I liked that the scientific name was included with the commonly known name for each bird. The box states that the cards are "perfect for sending, framing or using as gift tags" and I cannot agree more. They would definitely look so neat in a framed gallery wall and anyone is sure to enjoy receiving them in the mail. I think these are great for anyone who loves birds or even kids who are just learning about them since they could also be used as flashcards.

For more information about this boxed set, click here.

For more information about David Allen Sibley, click here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Erika

A False Report {review}

This is a gripping true story of a serial rapist, a victim who recanted (and then recanted the recant) and some amazing police work by detectives and crime analysts. The book is based off the authors' article "A False Report", which won the Pulitzer Prize. I thought it was very well-written and researched. I knew nothing of the case before reading the book which made it that much more interesting. It was difficult to put the book down when you could sense the police closing in on the rapist. Also, Netflix is going to be airing a series based on this case, at a date to be determined, so you will be able to put some faces with the names when that comes out. Overall, a worthwhile read- especially for anyone with an interest in true crime and policing. 

For more info on the book, click here.

For more info on the authors, click here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Thanks for stopping by!

Erika

Chasing Phil {a review}

Chasing Phil: The Adventures of Two Undercover Agents with the World's Most Charming Con Man by David Howard is quite the story. I really enjoyed reading about one of the first undercover FBI operations, the agents who were pretty much winging it and the star of the show, Phil Kitzer.  It was interesting to think about how far along we have come since 1977 too with our technology and ways to track people. The investigation would have certainly been a lot easier in 2017! This was definitely an interesting and entertaining read. If you have any interest in true crime or law enforcement, I think you'd enjoy this book.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

To learn more about David Howard, click here.

To learn more about this book, click here.

The Comic Book Story of Video Games {a review}

I picked this book out because I thought it would be fun for my son and I to check out. We both enjoy video games (I love anything in the Mario franchise) but he is definitely the bigger fan (plays on Steam and various consoles). The book is a graphic novel, which my son didn't particularly like. He flipped through it, commented on a few things and was pretty much done. I read the entire book and while it was interesting, I felt like it would've been better in a different format.

If you want to read more about the author, click here.

For more information on the book, click here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Queso! {a review}

Can we talk about the cover of this new cookbook from The Homesick Texan, Lisa Fain? It is mouthwatering!!! Every time I look at it, I just want all the chips and queso. The rest of the cookbook is equally appetizing. I thought the book was easy to read, the directions were clear and concise and the ingredients were ones easily found locally or online. I also really enjoyed the history of queso and appreciate the research done by Fain on the subject. I often visit Texas and now have several restaurants I want to try that are mentioned in the book. Highly recommend for anyone who loves queso!

For more info on the book, click here.

For more info on the author, click here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

The Life-changing Manga of Tidying Up {a review}

Confession: I've never read a graphic novel/manga before. As I was browsing through books to choose from this one immediately caught my eye because of the cute illustration of author Marie Kondo. I had actually heard of her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up but had never read it.

I am definitely one of those people who struggles with tidying up, especially when it comes to paperwork. Between the mail and the kids bringing stuff home from school, there is just always so much. I put stuff to be shredded in a "To Be Shredded" bag but then it takes me forever to get around to doing it. This made me curious to see what tips Kondo had when it came to "tidying up".

First of all, I really enjoyed the illustrations by Yuko Uramoto. I thought they were so adorable. I would definitely be interested in reading more graphic novels in the future. The book itself was super easy to read and only took me about two hours total sitting in the school pick-up line. It was full of lots of useful information. I'm especially interested in trying out the folding methods described in the book for my son's clothes (and maybe mine eventually). 

I would definitely recommend The Life-changing Manga of Tidying Up to anyone looking to tidy up their lives a little. It would be good for adults and teenagers.

To learn more about the author, click here.

To learn more about the book, click here.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.