slump

I am in a workout slump. I just can't seem to motivate myself to get to the gym.

I usually go 4 times a week.. these past two weeks I have only gone 2-3 times. I am blaming Sookie Stackhouse. 

I read while I am at the gym. I rush through my weight exercises, then I move onto cardio, which I find much more enjoyable. I prop my nook on the Elliptical and do my interval training, then I lay the nook on the exercise mats and read while I do the plank for 2 mins. Then I'll go back to the bikes and read for another 15 mins. But this 11th Sookie Stackhouse book, Dead Reckoning, is so awful that I cut my workouts short do to boredom. Thanks a lot Sookie... don't you know it's bathing suit season?

Now I know I should have just given up Sookie, and picked up another, much enjoyable, book but come on! It's book 11. I would feel like I was missing something, and I have already invested so much time and energy in the series. Not to mention that the darn ebook was 15 bucks! So I am a sucker and stuck it out. 

Thank goodness I finished the book today, so now I can move onto a book I have been looking forward to all month, and maybe I will get some better workouts in.

I'll review it at the end of this blog... but you can already tell I do not think too highly of it.

What do you do when you hate a book? Do you stop reading it? Or do you feel like you owe it to the author to finish it out?

Journey has been doing her job fantastically. I took pictures of Danny's Family last week, and I love the pictures and how they turned out =)

I also took pictures of my lil man

can't you tell he loves his bunny.

I am in love with how clear the images are.

However this is turning into a dangerous hobby... I constantly find myself wanting to buy new lenses!

and food pictures!! they look A-MAZE-ING

Danny made this dish for me. He's becoming quite the chef. Here is the recipe he used.

Memorial Day weekend was jammed packed with celebrations. We had a surprise party for Danny's Parent's 35th anniversary, a graduation party for Danny's cousin Lya, and we made a stop at baby Olivia's one month party. 

Thank goodness we had Monday off.. otherwise my boss would have to deal with sleep deprived monster.

Speaking of work..... we finally hired someone!!!! ekkkk!!! I am wicked excited, Now I won't be stressed out trying to do three jobs at once. And I will get off earlier!

ok. onto Sookie Stackhouse.

Dead Reckoning

By Charlaine Harris

• Pub. Date: May 2011
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
• Sold By: Penguin Group
• Format: NOOK Book (eBook) , 336pp

Synopsis 

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his "child" Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows...

Review:

I have such admiration for Charlaine Harris. She has created a world that is fun, fresh, and captivated millions of people both in the literary world and television. However, she is losing her spark. The entire book was slow paced, boring, and redundant. We read more about her cleaning her attic and decorating for a baby shower then we did with actual plot development. Once the main climax happened, I scratched my head thinking " really... that's it?"

Harris seemed to have trouble with continuity in this book. Many story-lines did not add up with previous books ( Niall and Eric' relationship/understanding). Also the tone of this book did not sound right. Many characters were acting...odd ( Bill in the crawl space, Eric biting Sookie, Alcide in bed) and Sookie sounded so lifeless. I don't know what happened to Harris... but it seems like she didn't even write this book. I think Harris is setting up the end of Sookie for us. It's painfully obvious who Harris has planned to be Sookie's Happily Ever After, but I don't agree with how Harris is trying to make the audience hate Eric in order to move him aside. I wish she would set it up differently, or at least try and make it a surprise, but I guess she just wants to rip the band aid off, just like the rest of us.

I can't wrap up this review without acknowledging that Sookie makes some great new discoveries about her family history. And we finally know where her telepathy comes from ( although the storyline doesn't fit with the past books) We have resolution on the main story arc, but the relationship issues are left hanging in a most frustrating way. I just didn't feel like the book was cohesive, and it ultimately could have been condensed with another book, at least then the readers would feel like they got their moneys worth.

If you are a Sookie fan, check this book out at a library. I will continue to read the series hoping to find a happy ending, but I will not be jumping out of my seat to purchase it. 

 ok onto a new book! I love this husband/wife writing team. Hopefully they can lift me out of my slump.

Journey.

My mom is obsessed with this band. So obsessed that she is trying her absolute hardest to ensure that either my sister, or I, will name her- much distant future- grandchild this name.

well mom, your dream is coming true... sorta.

say hello to Journey. She is a Canon T2i, and I loves her.

after many fights with Nebraska Furniture Mart and their lying employees... then canceling the order all together and ordering her from NY, she is finally in my hands, and she is so much fun to shoot with.

Now my blog will have pretty pictures. 

Emme... she may be a little rascal, but she is soooo photogenic! I love it. I call out her name, and she immediately poses for me. Such a good girl =)

ok moving on!

I am the most bland person during the week.

My job doesn't call for me to be dressed up. In fact my everyday wardrobe is a t-shirt, jeans, bangs pinned back, hair in a ponytail, glasses and some kind of flat shoe.

make up? puh-lease. You'll be lucky if I put on mascara.

mmm-kayyy?

Maybe I look this way because I am not a morning person... so I typically sleep in until 30 min before I have to leave... which gives me little time to actually put any effort in.

Or it's because if I actually wear my hair down, the loose strands fall under a piece of vinyl, ruining my entire sign I was making. Frustrating! I hate having to start over, all because of one lousy piece of hair.. grrrr

but last Friday I did something totally new.

I wore a dress to work.

I curled my hair.

I wore eyeliner AND mascara 

and let me tell you, people are wayyy nicer to you when you put some effort into your looks.

and that, in turn, gave me such a confidence boost. I was smiling all day. I was talkative with customers, and loved working. 

Don't get me wrong, wearing a dress while making signs is a bad choice.. I wont be doing that again. But I do vow, from now on, to at least try and take some pride in my appearance. 

yea.. let's see how long this lasts. I'm sure I'll be throwing my hair up in a ponytail the first time I see a stray hair on one of my pretty signs =/   but at least I'm trying!

Ok book review! I know I am lacking on this front for awhile... but I had 6 different books come out this month... so needless to say I have been busy reading and not writing. So you're going to get a HUGE wave of reviews coming your way.

 First Grave on the Right 

by Darynda Jones 

Darynda Jones has managed to do what so many others have failed to do. Create a uniquely fun and dark- cross-genre- story that is as hilarious as it is well written, as totally satisfying emotionally as it is intellectually It will suck you in until the very last page, craving for more.

Thanks Sami for the recommendation! 

the story.

Charlotte "Charley" Davidson isn't like other people. She sees the dead. Queue the voice of the 6th sense kid " I see dead people"(hehe)  but the truth is, seeing the dead isn't really what makes Charley so very different from everyone else. She's THE grim reaper, the one and only,  who is so sparkly, that the dead can't help but be drawn to her. 

But being THE Grim Reaper isn't her only job. She works as a PI, helps her uncle as a consultant for the Albuquerque, NM police department (thanks to her pulse challenged friends, she finds the murders much faster than everyone else).

Needless to say, she is a busy girl.. She's got a new case of three dead, and hilariously funny , lawyers who were murdered in the same night. While she is on the case, Big Bad (her beautiful nightmare man) makes more frequent appearances( yumm-o). She gets easily distracted by shiny things, and had me laughing out at all of her one liners, as well as the random dead people she finds wondering around, haha Mr. Wong.

Review.

First Grave on the Right is wonderfully and intelligently written. The humor on the surface keeps the darkness beneath from becoming overwhelming, even when truly bad things are revealed, Charley will make you smile. The plot is hypnotizing, addicting and will have you reading well into the night. The world building is new and something I have not seen done, with more and more layers being peeled away as you turn each page.

If you a itiching to start a new series, then don't hesitate to pick this one up! It's fun and witty, and I guarantee you will love it.

Ok that's all for now. I was going to show you guys an awesome smoothie I have been making lately.. but my blender broke right in the middle of my tutorial! I guess I'll be buying a new soon.. grrrrrr

Book Give-A-Way! Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

I have been a HUGE, GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS fan of J.R. Ward's work for years. I have been spreading my love for her to countless friends and family members, with every single one of them falling for her and her amazing world she has created.

So to celebrate my new and exciting life as a blogger

I will be giving away the newest copy of her book

Lover Unleashed

#1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward's thrilling new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?

About the Author

J.R. Ward is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. She lives in the South with her husband.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover (March 29, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451233166
• ISBN-13: 978-0451233165

To enter the contest:

1. Leave a comment below telling me which author you pimp out to your family and friends!
2. Be sure to leave your name =)
3. Contest ends: Thursday at 11:59pm Central Time. Winners will be announced Friday morning so be sure to check back, Winner will have until Saturday 5:00pm CST to respond.
4. Winner will be selected by random number generator program. 

Until then, happy reading everyone!

Contest is closed. Thanks everyone for participating!

 

Book Review: Late Eclipses

Late Eclipses By Seanan McGuire

Series: October Daye 

Release Date: March 1st, 2011

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Reading Order:

Rosemary And Rue
A Local Habitation
An Artificial Night 

Late Eclipses

Synopsis

October "Toby" Daye is half-human, half-fae-the only changeling who's earned knighthood. But when someone begins targeting her nearest and dearest, it becomes clear that Toby is being set up to take the fall for everything that's happening.

Not much of a back cover synopsis, huh? But regardless of the lackluster information provided for this book, it was a thrilling read!

Review

Late Eclipses is the fourth book in the October Daye series that takes you on a non-stop, action packed and emotional ride from page one. Toby ( aka October)  has finally found a balanced and safe point in her life after her horrific and soul breaking encounter with Blind Michael in An Artificial Night. But poor Toby, life can never stay simple. She gets word that her dear friend Lily,the Lady of the Tea Gardens, has fallen gravely ill. When all signs point to Lily being poisoned, Toby quickly jumps on the case. However with others falling ill, The Queen coming after her with a malicious vendetta, along with her live in fetch as constant reminder of her imminent death, and finally Toby being haunted by an evil in her past that makes her question her own sanity, will she find out who is behind it all? Or will other obstacles keep her from helping those she loves?

This book is riveting. I have no other words to describe it. McGuire did a phenomenal job with character development. We see her building a life with May, becoming closer with Tybalt-King of Cats, Connor, as well as, Toby discovering her heritage. We see her internal battle over her sanity, and her selfless decisions when saving those she cares about. For those seeking answers, then you will not be let down. McGuire opens Toby's past and allows us to learn about her father and mother, along with what Toby is. However, that pesky Tybalt/Connor/Toby relationship, or lack there of, is still hanging in the air. But at least McGuire gives us hope and a little bit more interaction between Toby and her men. These along with many other exciting answers come with Late Eclipses, but with answers, often comes more questions, and this holds true in this book. But hey! Don't fear, because the fifth October Daye Book One Salt Sea comes out in September! 


You can buy Late Eclipses at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Switching Gears 
It has been a personal goal of mine for over a year to motivate Danny into reading with me. I find reading incredibly enjoyable, and I am often pimping out books to my friends. I even made Lynda a Library card! So after many failed attempts at finding the right book that can inspire and maintain the bf's attention, I think I have found the answer. We went to Barnes and Noble, my favorite place on Earth, and browsed books for nearly two hours- I can be there all day and never be bored. I stumbled upon a blue book with a dog on the cover. Danny loves dogs. I open the first page to see if the writing style is something he would be intrigued with. and wow. My immediate thoughts are: "This book is perfect. I want to read this book myself". With the book in tow, I speed walk around the tall walls of books and goodies trying to spot Danny. I stumbled upon him in the Non-fiction Sports section.. go figure. I let him read the first couple of pages, and he gives me the thumbs up! I purchased the book for him, and then download it for myself( I love my Nook). So without further a due!!!

Danny and I will be reviewing

 

It has the beginnings of a promising and prolific read. I can't wait. Look for my review next week!!!!

Man we eat good. 

  Wish me luck on making this dish tonight : Thai Curried fish

Book Review: Iron Crowned by Richelle Meade

Iron Crowned by Richelle Meade

Series : Dark Swan, book 3

Release Date : February 22nd, 2011

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land’s queen, she’s fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear…

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown’s ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation,one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril…

This book is the third installment in Richelle Meade's Dark Swan series. The story starts a few weeks after the 2nd book Thorn Queen left off. Gentry Queen Eugenie and her boyfriend, for the moment, King Dorian are at war with the Rowen land ( refresher for those who need it, Eugenie was raped by Lieth, the Rowan Queen's son, Dorian Killed Lieth and the Queen declared war) After much bloodshed on both sides of the battle-lines , Dorian deceivingly convinces Eugenie to go after the Iron Crown. The Iron Crown is feared by many since 1. it is made of Iron, a metal that most Gentry cannot touch, and 2. it can take land from any ruler. Eugenie hopes to get the Crown so that it will scare the Rowan queen in submission. Since the road to the crown is laced with iron, Dorian suggests Eugenie take her Half Kitsun, half Human ex-boyfriend Kiyo on the journey. Thus her long journey begins, not only to find the Iron Crown but to deal with many gut retching issues that seem to find Eugenie at every corner she turns. Between choosing who to trust as a partner, how to maintain her human life, as well as what to do with the unfolding problems that take place at the end. This book has a number of twists and turns, it is hard to pick a side when so many have wronged Eugenie. Then there is the pressure of the pesky prophecy of her unborn male heir taking over and destroying the human world.

Its predecessors were nail bitingly intriguing, action packed and fast paced. Unfortunately I found this third book to be lacking. The love triangle between Eugenie, Dorian and Kiyo is still going strong, However, the constant back and forthher two lovers is becoming overwhelming and predictable. Since both of her lovers have wronged her in their own fashion, I find myself constantly switching between the two as well, maybe this is what Ms. Meade is going for, but I find it unsettling.

For the first half of this book I had a sense of deja vu. It sounded so similar to Storm Born, book 1. Sister gets kidnapped, must find sister, finds sister and claims a new kingdom all the while hating Dorian and building a relationship with Kiyo. The human world story with the ghost, Deanna, felt rushed and under-whelming. But thankfully the twists toward the end saved this book. It was unexpected and I loved it. It left me hitting my "next page" button over and over again only to find out it was over..... well.. at least until book 4.

Overall, it's a good "filler" series to keep you occupied, but I strongly recommend reading the first two books in this series.

You can find this book at

Amazon & Barnes and Noble

Frugal and Fabulous: A Clothing Swap Party

Random Elishia Fact: I RARELY buy clothing at full price.

So when an opportunity arises to get FREE new clothes, I'm all for it!!

My fabulous friend, Lynda, hosted a clothing exchange party this past weekend and it was a complete success.

The concept is simple, you take a look at your closet, evaluate what clothing pieces you no longer wear, bag them up and meet up with your girlfriends ( and cross your fingers that the cute top you saw your friend wearing 6 months ago is at the party). The results are outstanding since you essentially leave with brand new pieces for your wardrobe.... all for free!

Of course you have to throw food into the mix, and maybe drinks, this is a social event after all!

Blog recipe!

Growing up in the Hazelton household, lasagna was THE most requested dish. We love our Italian food, so this isn't so surprising. But as I grew older I would start helping my mom make the delicious dish, then as time progressed we would start having a friendly competition to see who made the better lasagna, which my dad was the judge ( I won too!). Now that I am out in the world on my own.. and striving to live a healthier life style... I discovered how UNHEALTHY my family lasagna was! Between the gluttonous ricotta cheese, and the white noodles and the copious amounts of various cheeses... i set out to find a healthier, but just as tasty alternative... which bring me to, "Zucchini Lasagna"! The concept is simple you sub out the noodles for Zucchini, and use cottage cheese.
So with no further delay.. the recipe

2 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 3 medium)
1/2 lb lean ground turkey meat (I use 1 lb.)
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 jar of tomato sauce ( I use sugar free and season it with spices)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (I use 8 oz. divided)
1 tbs of flour
4 no boil noodles

Directions

1.Brush Zucchini with olive oil and broil in oven until tender, and set aside. Fry meat and onions until meat is brown and onions are tender; drain fat. Add tomato sauce and spices, let boil.
2. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 10 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups.
3. In small bowl slightly beat egg.
4. Add cottage cheese, half of shredded cheese and flour.
5. In a baking pan arrange half of the meat mixture. I use one layer of no boil noddles so the the bottom of my lasagna is no soggy, then do a layer of cheese, then layer of meat sauce, zucchini, then cheese finished with combination until you are out of ingredients!
6. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer.
8. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. And you're done! Enjoy =)

Currently Reading
Iron Crowned by Richelle Meade

Quick rundown of the book:

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land’s queen, she’s fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear…

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown’s ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation,one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril…



Going to watch Rango tomorrow. Look for my review on Friday! Have a great week!




P.S. Who watched the Oscars last night? I thought they had a couple of good "laugh out loud moments" but i grew tiresome of Anne Hatheway... she totally became a "Whoo" girl by the end!! it was so frustrating. And the questions of the night.. where in the world was James Franco!?