JUST ME

I haven't posted a Just Me feature for awhile. It gets pretty boring around here sometimes. Didn't think anyone would want to hear about changing diapers and doing housework. Which is what I get done most of the time. Although once in a while I get to leave the house. lol



The twins are growing like crazy. They are now 8 months old heading into 9 months in a couple of weeks. They are both crawling and Luke is wanting to walk. They are both eating off the table now along with some baby food. Their favorite food is potatoes, and way, fried, boiled, mashed, baked they will eat it. I got this great picture of Bella eating spaghetti one night with her daddy.



I've also worked on my green striped afghan some more. It's getting bigger.


Plus I've started working on Bella's and Luke's scrapbooks. I've gotten their title pages done plus a few more. These are their title pages.

Bella's Title Page


Luke's Title Page


As for books. Well I'll be making a run to the library this weekend. Don't know what I'll be getting. At the moment I'm reading an ARC book. It's called Garden's of Grief by Boston Teran. Here's a synopsis from Amazon.com

Gardens of Grief, a sequel to Boston Teran's literary classic, The Creed of Violence, is not only a powerful and thrilling piece of literature, it is also a forceful condemnation of one of the most monstrous and controversial events of the twentieth century-the Armenian genocide. In 1915, Islamic fundamentalists in Turkey annihilated two million innocent Armenians. Were the atrocities committed by the Turkish government an unfortunate act of war, or the methodical extermination of a people that was unequalled in history up to that time? The novel has been compared to Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, where honor and bravery align with selflessness, to the impassioned advocacy for justice of Emile Zola's J'Accuse, the writer's 1898 open letter on the Dreyfus Affair, and to the work of Solzhenitsyn, for his treatment of the horrors of oppression.

Well that's it for now. Have a wonderful weekend.

REVIEW - THE AGENCY: A SPY IN THE HOUSE

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself(39/200)
YA Historical Fiction(2/16)
Just for Fun(3/12)

"The Agency: A Spy in the House" by Y.S. Lee
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past.
# Reading level: Young Adult
# Paperback: 352 pages
# Publisher: Candlewick; Reprint edition (February 8, 2011)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 076365289X
# ISBN-13: 978-0763652890

MY THOUGHTS: This book has a little of everything. Mystery, murder, romance and set in my favorite time period to read. This is also a series of books my Y. S. Lee. Mary is sent into the house of the Thorold's. Their ships were coming up missing along with the cargo. Lloyd's of London was the insurer of these ships and cargo's. Mr. Thorold was putting in claims for the lost cargo. Along the way Mary runs into James. He is looking into the Thorold's also, but for another reason. His brother wants to marry Angelica Thorold. But James thinks something is wrong with his business and starts checking them out. The book is full of twists and turns. You'll never guess what's going on and who is doing it. Great book, you should read it if you like mysteries, murder and romance all rolled into one book.

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - SUNRISE

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(38/200)
War Through The Generations(Civil War)(2/10)
A - Z Challenge(Titles)(14/26)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(13/52)

"Sunrise" by Jacquelyn Cook
Product Description(Amazon.com)
The true love story behind one of Georgia's most famous antebellum mansions. In the 1850's Anne Tracy, a smart and well-educated young woman from the stifled but elegant world of Macon, Georgia, made a polite marriage with an older, wealthy merchant, William Butler Johnson. The unlikely pairing blossomed into a romantic and devoted marriage. The Butlers' wide travels through 1850's Europe inspired them to return to Macon and build an incredible Italianate mansion. Through the trials and tribulations of family tragedy and later the Civil War, the Butlers maintained an amazing legacy and an amazing home.
# Paperback: 298 pages
# Publisher: BelleBooks, Inc. (February 1, 2008)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 9780976876090
# ISBN-13: 978-0976876090

MY THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed reading this book. The author took me to places I've dreamed of seeing. And I felt like I was there with William and Anne. When William and Anne come home to build there home, they didn't know they were headed for trouble. The trouble being The Civil War. All of Anne's brothers and friends march off to serve and Anne is worried about them. William is in the financing business and is chosen to help Georgia to build up their reserves of gold. All the heartache, love and family is in this book. If you like to read about the Civil War, this is a wonderful book to read.

MY RATING: 8-12

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is taking place over at Book Journey. Head over and check it out, you could find your next book.

Last week was kind of slow in the reading department. I didn't really feel like reading, I sometimes do that after reading a long book. I just don't want to start another one so I don't read for a few days. This is what I finished last week.

At The Crossroads of Terror by Lenny Emanuelli - my review
The Luxe - Ana Godbersen - my review

I am currently reading 3 books now. One is almost done. So there will be a review coming up. I'm sure it will take me the rest of this week to finish these 3 books. Be watching for reviews by the weekend.

Sunrise - Jacquelyn Cook
Gardens of Grief - Boston Teran
The Agency: A Spy in the House - Y.S. Lee

IN MY MAILBOX

In My Mailbox is hosted over at The Story Siren's place. Hop over and check it out.

I got several interesting review(ARC) this week.

Mothers & Daughters - Rae Meadows


Tales of an African Vet - Dr. Roy Aronson


If A Dog Could Blog - Lisa Breeden Garcia


Keklila - Jahcolyn Russell Neiman

REVIEW - THE LUXE

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(37/200)
YA Historical Fiction(1/16)
A - Z Challenge(13/26)

"The Luxe" by Anna Godbersen
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.
Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.
This is Manhattan, 1899.
Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone—from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud—threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.
With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear...
In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.
# Reading level: Young Adult
# Paperback: 464 pages
# Publisher: HarperCollins (September 23, 2008)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 9780061345685
# ISBN-13: 978-0061345685

MY THOUGHTS: I had a hard time getting into this book. Reading about "high society" is not one of my favorite reads. But as I got further into the book it all made so much sense. When your in love what matters most. Love, family, appearances, or being ostracized from the life you have lived. Terrible decision to make for anyone, but a teenager shouldn't have to make this kind of decision. And then one nigh Elizabeth comes up missing. And then she's found in the Hudson River dead. Is it a terrible accident or is it foul play? You'll have to read the book to find out. If you get stuck on this book, don't give up, it gets better.

MY RATING: 5

FRIDAY BOOK MEMES

Head over to Freda and Katy's places to check these two memes out. You might find your next book. I am using the same book for both The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings. Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook. Here is a synopsis of the book.

The true love story behind one of Georgia's most famous antebellum mansions. In the 1850's Anne Tracy, a smart and well-educated young woman from the stifled but elegant world of Macon, Georgia, made a polite marriage with an older, wealthy merchant, William Butler Johnson. The unlikely pairing blossomed into a romantic and devoted marriage. The Butlers' wide travels through 1850's Europe inspired them to return to Macon and build an incredible Italiente mansion. Through the trials and tribulations of family tragedy and later the Civil War, the Butlers maintained an amazing legacy and an amazing home.

THE FRIDAY 56

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky.

The next day was no better. Anne could not acclimate herself to the rhythm of the waves. Even the gentlest motion dizzied her.
P. 56 Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook

BOOK BEGINNINGS

Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Macon, Georgia 1849
The ginkgo tree, shimmering like gold against the October sky, drew Anne Tracy to the crest of the hill. In her fluttering crepe, she felt at one with the tree, stripped of purpose, as it soon would be when its fan-shaped leaves deserted all at once.
Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook

First off the year tempts me. I love reading about all the history from this era. The few sentences I have here is so sad. I want to find out why Anne is so sad and lonely. I've just started this book but I'm really liking it so far. So many conflicting thoughts run through this book. Politics, romance, love, family, war. Can't wait to get farther into the book to see what happens.

AN APRIL CHALLENGE

I was over at The Book Gatherers place and saw this really cute button.



So I clicked on it and went to Sooz Says Stuff. She and some other folks are hosting the A to Z Blogging Challenge. What is this I asked myself? So I kept reading and I really want to join in on this. Here's a little info if you want to check it out.

The premise of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge is to post something on your blog every day in April except for Sundays. In doing this you will have 26 blog posts--one for each letter of the alphabet. Each day you will theme your post according to a letter of the alphabet.
You will only be limited by your own imagination in this challenge. There is an unlimited universe of possibilities. You can post essays, short pieces of fiction, poetry, recipes, travel sketches, or anything else you would like to write about. You don't have to be a writer to do this. You can post photos, including samples of your own art or craftwork. Everyone who blogs can post from A to Z.

If you want to check it out just click HERE and you will be sent over to Sooz Says Stuff right away. I will also have the link in my sidebar.

REVIEW - AT THE CROSSROADS OF TERROR

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(36/200)
50 States Challenge(Pennsylvania)(12/50)
A - Z Challenge(Titles)(12/26)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.12)

"At The Crossroads of Terror" by Lenny Emanuelli
Product Description(Amazon.com)
What would you do if.... You were being hunted by a gang of killers? These killers are holding your best friend captive. You are also being hunted by the police for a murder you did not commit. Would you run? Would you fight? Who do you turn to for help? Surely not a person you don t trust? Or a person you believe has ulterior motives. These are just some of the situations that haunt Charlie Johnson that he needs to answer. What he does to overcome these and many more obstacles might surprise you and are answered in this new suspenseful romantic thriller. Charlie Johnson, a man suspected of killing a local merchant, reluctantly teams up with a television street reporter, Sherry Mann, trying to prove, he is innocent which takes them both deep into the world of an organized Asian street gang, who is on the verge of making their biggest stride, in their drug business.
# Paperback: 240 pages
# Publisher: E.P. Publishing; Second Edition edition (June 1, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0615359795
# ISBN-13: 978-0615359793

MY THOUGHTS: Question, what would you do if you witnessed a murder and the shooter left the gun in your pocket? Would you run away, drop the gun or tell the truth? Hard question to answer. That's what happened to Charlie. The person who shot the guy dropped the gun in his pocket and left. Charlie is left with the gun and someone actually saw this gun. Now Charlie has to explain to Sherry, a reporter, what really happened and hope she believes him. And on top of all that it's involved with an Asian street gang that doesn't care and doesn't get caught when they kill someone. Because witnesses just disappear. Now Charlie is one of those witnesses. This is a really good book. If you like being on the edge of your seat when reading this book will do that. Plus there is some romance and funny pieces to the story. Written beautifully that keeps you up to date on everything that is going on.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Over at Book Journey It's Monday, What Are You Reading? time. Go check it out, lots of books to find.

I had a pretty good week in books. I got 4 books read and reviewed.

Cake Boss - Buddy Valastro
Coal Black Horse - Robert Holmstead
To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff - Don Bruns

I really enjoyed all of them. I made a run to the library this past weekend. Here is what I got and what I'll be reading this week.

The Agency: A Spy in the House - Y.S. Lee


The Luxe - Anna Godbersen


Sunrise - Jacquelyn Cook


At The Crosroads of Terror - Lenny Emanuelli


There are a couple of these books I'm not to sure they will make it to review status. They just didn't sound too interesting when I started reading them. And yes I read more than one book at a time. I usually have 3 or 4 going at one time. Just have to wait and see I guess. Anyway that's my week. How did your week go? Hop over to Book Journey and check out everyone's week.

REVIEW - DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(35/200)
A - Z Challenge(Titles)(D)

"Don't Sweat The Small Stuff - Don Bruns
Product Description(Amazon.com)
It's official: stumbling, bumbling James Lessor and Skip Moore are licensed private investigators. Now, that's some scary stuff. It could take time to get Moore or Less investigations off the ground, so James takes a job with a traveling carnival show. But this show has a dubious reputation, having had a string of accidents and at least one death in the past year. When they're hired to investigate what's caused the carnival chaos, James and Skip set into motion a dizzying, roller coaster chain of events. After a terrifying trip on the Dragon Tail ride, a not-so-fun dust-up in Freddy's Fun House, and a host of threats, James and Skip realize they'll get anything but cooperation from this cantankerous cast of carnies. But when a carnival worker is murdered, James and Skip will have to act fast-because they might be next in line. For James and Skip, the only thing sweeter than the smell of corndogs and fried dough will be the sweet smell of success-but in this case, "success" means getting out alive. This investigation is going completely off the rails.
# Hardcover: 312 pages
# Publisher: Oceanview Publishing (December 6, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1933515791
# ISBN-13: 978-1933515793

MY THOUGHTS: I really liked the two main characters in this story. They are so funny and you would never think they could solve anything much less a murder. But in their own bumbling way they do. With a little help from Em and Jody. Em is James on and off girlfriend and Jody sells spy stuff. Just when they think they have it all figured out and who the person is behind all the accidents, another suspect comes along. But you won't believe who the real person is. I was totally surprised!! Wonderful light airy murder mystery.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

SATURDAY SNAPSHOT

Alyce over at At Home With Books is the host for Saturday Snapshot. Want to play along? Here's some info you might like to know.

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky below. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. All I ask is that you don't post random photos that you find online.

Well the little flowers are coming out of their winter sleep. Popping up and a couple even got nipped this week. But this one make it all the way up and bloomed. What a beautiful sight!!! Just click on the picture to get a close up view.



I'm not sure what kind of flower this is, but every spring it is the first one out of the ground and blooming. Don't forget to hop over to Alyce's place to check out all the pictures.

FRIDAY BOOK MEMES

I do these 2 book memes every Friday. I enjoy them lots. What are they? The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings. Go check them out. Both of my clues come from the book Don't Sweat The Small Stuff by Don Bruns. It's an ARC I'm reading. So far it's pretty good. Be watching for my review in a few days.


Synopsis
It's official: stumbling, bumbling James Lessor and Skip Moore are licensed private investigators. Now, that's some scary stuff.It could take time to get Moore or Less investigations off the ground, so James takes a job with a traveling carnival show.But this show has a dubious reputation, having had a string of accidents and at least one death in the past year.When they're hired to investigate what's caused the carnival chaos, James and Skip set into motion a dizzying, roller coaster chain of events.After a terrifying trip on the Dragon Tail ride, a not-so-fun dust-up in Freddy's Fun House, and a host of threats, James and Skip realize they'll get anything but cooperation from this cantankerous cast of carnies.But when a carnival worker is murdered, James and Skip will have to act fast-because they might be next in line.For James and Skip, the only thing sweeter than the smell of corndogs and fried dough will be the sweet smell of success-but in this case, "success" means getting out alive.This investigation is going completely off the rails.

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky.

P. 56 "You and James, you do as I ask, and if you're successful, if you figure out who's trying to sabotage our show, I'll not only pay you what I offered--I'll bonus you. Okay? A Bonus."

Book Beginnings

"I found the article again, the one about the dead body on the carnival ride, and I wished I'd mentioned it to James the first time I saw it."

Well, I wanted to find out more about the dead body and what kind of carnival. It's all very mysterious to me. And I can't resist a good mystery. What do you think?

REVIEW - TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

This book is for 5 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(34/200)
Back To The Classics(Twentieth Century Classic)
The Pulitzer 1's Challenge(1961)
The 50 States Challenge(Alabama)
A - Z Challenge(K)

"To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Product Description(Amazon.com)

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.
One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many dis-tinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal). HarperCollins is proud to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the book's publication with this special hardcover edition.
# Hardcover: 336 pages
# Publisher: Harper; 50 Anv edition (May 11, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0061743526
# ISBN-13: 978-0061743528

MY THOUGHTS: First off I would like to say I never knew the author was a women. I've always assumed it was a man. I've also seen the movie and planning on watching it again this weekend. I loved the movie when I saw it and always said I wanted to read the book. But never got around to it for some reason or another. But this was the year to read this wonderful, no not wonderful, Awesome book. I really enjoyed reading about Jem and Scout. I didn't think I'd be able to read it since I had seen the movie, but I had forgotten lots of it. So it was like reading it for the first time. I forgot the part of Dill running away from Meridian to Maycomb to be with Jem and Scout. And the part where Aunty comes to stay awhile. All together this was a very enjoyable read. If you haven't read this book you should, it's really awesome!

RATING: 8-12

WONDROUS WORDS WEDNESDAY

Wondrous Words Wednesday is being hosted over at Bermuda Onion. Want to know more? Here's some info:

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. If you want to play along, grab the button, write a post and come back and add your link to Mr. Linky!

All of my words come from Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead. My review is under this post, so keep scrolling down to check it out.

1. Strabismal - She was a blue-eyed strabismal woman with a high color in her vein-traced cheeks.

This word is spelled differently in the dictionary. So I went to Google and it came up the same spelling, so I'm assuming the spelling is right. It's spelled Strabismus. It means abnormal alignment of one or both eyes or crossed-eyed.

2. truncated - His ears were truncated and actually appeared to have been cropped.

Well this fits with the defination I found. Cut off; cut short; maimed.

3. Meticulousnss - "What happened to your goldilocks?" he said, pretending a posture of meticulousness and refinement, his hand still raised.

In this sentence I think the meaning of marked by extreme care in treatment of details is referring to the goldilocks he's talking about.

If you want to play with words, head over to Bermuda Onion and check it out.

REVIEW - COAL BLACK HORSE

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(33/200)
War Through The Generations(Civil War)(1/10)
The 50 States Challenge(Virginia)(10/50)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.11)

"Coal Black Horse" by Robert Olmstead
Book Description(Amazon.com)
When Robey Childs's mother has a premonition about her husband, a soldier fighting in the Civil War, she does the unthinkable. She instructs her only child to retrieve his father from the battlefield and bring him home. Just fourteen and ill-prepared for the journey, Robey sets off wearing the coat his mother sewed to ensure his safety: blue on one side, gray on the other. However, it is the gift of an uncommon horse that changes Robey's destiny— a horse that becomes his only companion, guide, and protector.
As they plunge into a world of death and destruction, Robey is cloaked in the invincibility of youth. But the horrors of war, the truth of his own nature, and the inextricable connection between the two turn the boy into the best a man can be—and the worst, irrevocably scarred by all that he has seen and done.
# Paperback: 229 pages
# Publisher: Algonquin Books; Reprint edition (April 25, 2008)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1565126017
# ASIN: B002QGSWRE

MY THOUGHTS: The way this book is written instantly reminded me of The Road by Cormac McCarthy. As Robey wonders around the countryside looking for his father he sees some things he had never seen before. Some things he wished he had never seen. He also comes across a girl, Rachel, who is traveling with a preacher and his wife. Robey witnesses the preacher raping this young girl. Over time Robey and Rachel keep crossing each others paths. As he gets to the killing fields where his father is he sees even worse. Scavengers, the human kind, picking over bodies of the soldiers. They are looking for gold, jewelry, and personal letters. When Robey finds his father, he is mortally wounded. Robey stays with him until the end. Then he heads home. I don't want to tell anymore as it will ruin the ending. Wonderful book with great insight to the Civil War from a boy's eye view.

MY RATING: 8-12

TEASER TUESDAYS

MisB over at Should Be Reading is the host for Teaser Tuesdays. Want some info on this? Here it is.

* 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!

My Teaser:

When he found his father in the field of the dying, he tucked his jacket under his bound head and found another jacket, a blue one with torn yellow pipping, so as to move freely about the fields.
>P.173 Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead

REVIEW - CAKE BOSS

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(32/200)
Foodie's Challenge(6/12)

"Cake Boss" by Buddy Valastro
Product Description(Amazon.com)
In this heartfelt memoir, master baker and star of the #1 hit TLC show, Buddy Valastro tells his inspiring story—and recounts his family’s warm memories from a lifetime of living, loving, and cake making.
Television viewers have fallen in love with Buddy Valastro, master cake maker, and his funny and fiery family, proprietors of Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, on the smash hit TLC series Cake Boss. Now, to coincide with Carlo’s 100th anniversary, cake designer extraordinaire Buddy Valastro brings together his passion for baking and his high-energy family stories in the pages of this charming, heartwarming book—complete with 25 recipes and tips that will make every reader the “cake boss” of their own kitchen.
Buddy’s beautifully designed cakes are the stuff of legend—and so is the remarkable story of his father, a beloved pillar of the community and himself a talented baker who set the stage for his family’s rise to the pinnacle of their industry. Cake Boss recounts the story of Buddy’s life and of his family’s bakeshop, originally established in 1910 and now a Hoboken, New Jersey, landmark and culinary tourist destination. Here also are twenty-five recipes for Carlo’s Bakery’s most sought-after pastries, pies, cupcakes, and cakes, an irresistible combination of time-tested old-world recipes and modern creations, all founded on a rock-solid “old-school” baking foundation and classic techniques.
This is the incredible true story of how Carlo’s Bakery came to be, how one hard-working family realized their patriarch’s dream of making their beloved bake shop a household name. The special bond and loving dynamic of the Valastro clan make this an uncommonly touching and truly inspiring memoir.
# Hardcover: 272 pages
# Publisher: Free Press (November 2, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1439183511
# ISBN-13: 978-1439183519

MY THOUGHTS: This is a beautifully written book. It's full of love, laughter, and happiness. And of course recipes. Buddy shares some of his fondest memories and pictures in this book. Plus on some of the pages there are insets separate from the story. They give you little tidbits of info into his cooking and family life. Wonderful book and beautifully written. I loved reading this book. But I must admit I haven't watched his show on t.v. So I'm going to have to catch it and see what all the fuss is about. If the show is anything like this book, I'll love it. If you have a chance to get this book and love cooking, recipes, and memories you will need to pick this one up.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

IN MY MAILBOX

Want to play along? Head over to The Story Siren's place. Lots of books over there to see. What did you get in your mailbox this week?

This week I got 4 new ARC's to read and review. I'm really looking forward to reading them. I am way behind on my reading of ARC's. I'm trying to catch up, but time keeps slipping away from me somehow. Anyway here are the books I got this week and their link to Amazon.com if you want to take a peek at what they are about. You can also see a list of all my review books. It's in the tap at the top of the page called Review Books.

The Source of All Things - Tracy Ross
\

Fatal February - Barbara Levenson


Coffee and Fate - R. J. Erbacher


The Madonnas of Echo Park - Brando Skyhorse


[These are all free review books.]