COUNTESS OF SCANDAL by Laurel McKee

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COUNTESS OF SCANDAL
Author: Laurel McKee
Source: Hachette Book Group
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Forever; Original edition (February 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0446544787
  • ISBN-13: 978-0446544788
SYNOPSIS:
As children, Eliza Blacknall and William Denton ran wild over the fields of southern Ireland and swore they would be friends forever. Then fate took Will away to England, while Eliza stayed behind to become a proper Irish countess.


Years later, Will finally makes his way home-as an English soldier sent to crush the Irish uprising. When he spies the lovely Eliza, he is captivated by the passionate woman she has become. But Eliza’s passions have led her to join the Irish rebel cause, and Will and Eliza now find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous conflict.


When Ireland explodes in bloody rebellion, Will’s regiment is ordered to the front lines, and he is forced to choose between his duty to the English king and his love for Eliza and their Irish homeland.
MY THOUGHTS:
There were so many things that I didn’t like about this book.  One, I hear enough about politics in real life, I don’t want to read an over abundance of it in my reading.  Especially when the author is also trying to capture a romance on the pages.  It made it hard for me to even attempt to like the romance between Eliza and Will. They never seemed to click for me.  I felt like I was getting a history lesson instead of a romance. 
The only part that I did like about this book is the cover. I loved the richness of purple used and the jewelry on the woman was beautiful.  Like I have said before, I am very picky with my historical romance books because I am not a big fan of reading about past years unless the romance can grab me from the get go.  With that being said, it is just my personal opinion on this book because of being so picky and such. If you are a regular reader of historical romance, then please, try the book.  It just might be to your liking.
MY RATING:

 
I did not enjoy this book! 1 STAR

(ARC Review) LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater

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LINGER
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Source: Donated to blog
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Scholastic Press (July 20, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0545123283
  • ISBN-13: 978-0545123280
SYNOPSIS:
In Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love — the light and the dark, the warm and the cold — in a way you will never forget.

MY THOUGHTS:
It has been so long since Shiver came out, I almost forgot who the characters were!  With that being said,  as soon as I opened the book to the first page, I was instantly transported back to Mercy Falls.  I still get the warm and fuzzy feeling with the romance between Sam and Grace.  The author did a wonderful job with these two characters.  She included romance, drama and aching suspense that had me pulling at my hair.  The book flowed nicely and everything about it kept me consumed with finishing it in one sitting. 
The characters have grown, the author introduces old and new characters to the story, and she kept the goosebumps on me like I was in the snow with Sam and Grace. The ending about did me in though. Amazing is the only word I can think of at the moment to describe it. Amazing AND Breathtaking!
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

WHAT WOULD ROB DO? by Rob Sachs

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WHAT WOULD ROB DO?
Author: Rob Sachs
Source: FSB Media
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Wiley; Original edition (April 26, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0470457732
  • ISBN-13: 978-0470457733
SYNOPSIS:
What do you do if you get a bad haircut? Do you have trouble remembering people’s names? What happens if you clog the toilet at a friend’s house? NPR’s Rob Sachs has given prudent and entertaining advice for dealing with all sorts of everyday challenges in his successful What Would Rob Do? podcast series, consulting with experts ranging from Fabio to Erik Estrada on dozens of daily dilemmas and common conundrums. Now he brings a wealth of this advice together in a single survival guide to fixing some of life’s most vexing minor mishaps and speed bumps.
  • Entertaining yet practical advice on what to do in tricky life situations
  • Includes tips from interviews Sachs has conducted with celebrity experts
  • Written by Rob Sachs, who has been a producer, reporter, and director for NPR shows including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Day to Day. Sachs also has a successful NPR podcast series
What Would Rob Do? tackles the full spectrum of life’s absurdities and shows how to turn them into an opportunity for adventure, fun, and best of all, laughter.
MY THOUGHTS:
Sometimes you just need a good laugh when reading.  I love books based on real life humor! Who hasn’t ever spilled something on shirt, in the wrong spot and at the wrong time? Who hasn’t stuffed up a toilet either at home or at a friends? Come on, you know you have! The author did a wonderful job of discussing these predicaments that can arise. Some of the responses are not really helpful, but I think that is the whole point. Some of the best chapters were on getting Dog Poop stuck in your shoe and dealing with flatulence!  I laughed several times with this book.  A great read to get a good laugh and unwind from other serious reading. A great laugh out loud book!
MY RATING:



Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes

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Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes 
Author: Phyllis Pellman Good
Source: FSB Media
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Paperback: 283 pages
  • Publisher: Good Books; Rev Upd edition (May 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 156148685X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1561486854
SYNOPSIS:
A cookbook featuring over 700 great slow cooker recipes by author Phyllis Pellman Good.
MY THOUGHTS:
I am not a chef. I admit it. If it is a recipe that calls for tons of fancy ingredients and tons of time, then I forget it. I would rather it be a recipe that I can throw together quickly and with little effort. We live where it is hot as well, so I don’t like staying in a hot kitchen for hours to cook one meal.  When I received this book, I was curious to know if it was going to be a cookbook that would help me with my dilemma.  
Surprisingly, it did help!  There are tons of recipes in this book that even a beginner on a low budget can do with little effort.  Now granted, it does require you to have a slow cooker, and it does ask for certain things such as certain kinds of soups, yet you could always substitute the ingredients to your own liking.  There were a few that I have already made with my slow cooker in the past, so I know these recipes are reliable and great!
Here is just a sample of the recipes you will find in the book:
Pizza Fondue, BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Chili, Chicken Soup, Spiced Coffee, Hot Fruit Punch, Gingerbread, Lemon Bread and Pot Roasts!
I was amazed at some of the things you can actually cook in a slow cooker.  For instance, I didn’t even know you could cook bread in a slow cooker!  It also gives a list of substitutions, conversions, and hints on how to use your slow cooker better. I loved this cookbook and it makes it easy to just fix it and forget it!
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS