Review: The Mason Jar Cookbook: 80 Healthy and Portable Meals

The Mason Jar Cookbook: 80 Healthy and Portable Meals by Amy Fazio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I happened to stumble on this book by accident. It had some good ideas for quick grab and go lunches for work. My mother is trying to eat better, so I am going to make the overnight oats and the oatmeal jars for her and see how she likes them for work snacks.

There is a particular salad I have made (using a recipe from a different book) that I am going to try to convert to using a mason jar for so it is easier to bring to work without it getting soggy from the dressing. This book just happened to give me the idea.

It would have been nice to see some recipes that could be turned into "salad shakers." While some of the recipes can be eaten right out of the jar, most of the salad recipes require pouring the salad into a bowl which dirties another dish. With limited lunch box space, the jars would have been a nice way to save room. I may try to adapt some recipes to make them more like salad shakers, but it will be trial and error getting proportions right.

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Review: Drakon Book I: The Sieve

Drakon Book I: The Sieve by C.A. Caskabel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a Kindle edition of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

I would have to say this is more like a 3.5 star book.

The version I read is the version that has Sarah's story line woven into the book (per the author's note at the beginning of the book). For a short book (244 pages), it seems to just drag for the majority of the book. Sarah's story line and the adult line of Da-Ren were the best parts, but there was so little of it compared to Da'Ren's younger years. The story line of Da-Ren during the Seive was only good near the end of the book.

I am going to give the next book a shot. I just hope it hold my attention better than this one.

Note for sensitive readers: This book has some graphic scenes involving rape and the killing of animals and children.

I read this book as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2019 - Read a book during the season it is set in.

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Review: Outlander

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I watched the show before I read the book, which unfortunately is the only reason I made it to the end of this one. The first half of the book is rather boring, I'm sorry to say (much like the show too). I nearly gave up on the show, but as it turned out, the best parts only happened in the second half.

I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, with the book, you have to get through more than 400 pages before the story actually picks up and holds attention. If I hadn't watched any of the show, I probably would have ended the series with this book. Since I am caught up on the show and started enjoying it a little more in season 2, I am going to keep trucking through the books and see what happens. If I'm lucky, I'll be caught up and beyond before the next season airs.

A note for sensitive readers: topics tackled in this book are abuse, rape (of both men and women), attempted rape, and torture (just to name a few). If you are looking for a simple Highland romance story, this is not the book (or maybe even series) for you.

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Review: Where the Forest Meets the Stars

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a fast read. While this book was about loss, life, and love, it also renewed my interest in the stars. Dying to break out the telescope. It needs to get a bit warmer.

This book was a Kindle First (nka Amazon First Reads) selection for February 2019.

I read this book as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2019 - A debut novel.

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Review: Soulbinder

Soulbinder by Sebastien de Castell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series really knows how to get the heart and blood pumping. I had to look over to my cat a few times to make sure she was all good. At one point while I was reading, she did a Reichis and gave me a few nips. I cannot wait for Queenslayer!

I read this book as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2019 - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent.

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