Friday Linkups: Neil Patrick Harris Choose Your Own Autobiography

It's Friday!  Time to link up with Coffee Addicted Writer for the Book Blogger Hop, Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice.

This week's Question:
Should Book Blogger do more to support bookshops rather than just give links to Amazon or Barnes and; Noble as a place to buy the printed version of books they read?

My Answer:
To be honest, I'm not really sure how I could.  I guess I could put a tagline that says *Support your local bookstore?  I kind of think that as readers we know if we have a local bookstore in our community and if we love it we'll support it over the allure of saving a dollar here or there at Amazon.  If you're looking for book reviews I think for the most part your decision of where you're getting the  book is already made and me putting an Amazon link in or not isn't going to change that.  If you have a local bookstore go buy your books there!  Otherwise you'll be like me and not have one at all!

This week's book is Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris.  When I saw this on Blogging for Books a few weeks ago I couldn't press request fast enough.  I love Neil Patrick Harris - I loved how he played Barney on How I Met Your Mother making him as much of a scumbag as possible but still being able to put a dash of good guy in there periodically.  Every interview I've seen of him he just seems like a nice guy.  Plus he was a judge on Iron Chef America which is just awesome!

From the Beginning:
"You, Neil Patrick Harris, are born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 15, 1973, at what you're pretty sure is St. Joseph's Hospital, although it's hard to be certain as the whole experience leaves you a little blurry."

From page 56 which is actually written by producer Steven Bochco -
"Doogie was, and will always remain, one of my favorite shows.  It was sweet, it was funny, it was on occasion melancholy, but it was always true to itself.  It was always about something.  It never, as they say, jumped the shark.  And as you go on to enjoy the full measure of success you've earned as an actor, a host, a musical performer, and - ultimately, I am sure - a director, I hope you remain as fond of Doogie and the values his character promulgated as I am."

The Texan's Christmas - Review

The Texan's Christmas (Texas Rodeo Barons) by Tanya Michaels

Rating: 4 Stars
Source: NetGalley

Description:  Nicole Bennett has spent her life without any real family and after her mentor's illness and recovery she has decided to change that.
Daniel Baron is sidelined from his rodeo career and horse training business due to injury.  He's ready to leave behind the family he never really felt part of and start out somewhere on his own.  He has no interest in family or a serious relationship.  That is until Nicole Bennett walks into his life and makes him reconsider everything.

Genre: Romance

Why I Picked This Book:  I almost didn't.  I don't really get the whole pregnancy in romance novels and there's nothing that's going to make me pass by a book faster than an enormously pregnant woman on the cover.  Luckily I had enjoyed a previous book by Michaels (Her Cowboy Hero - Review) enough that I decided to risk it.

My Impression:
Pros:  Where to start?  There was so much I liked about this one it's hard to decide.  First there's Nicole.  She had a rough upbringing but has been able to work through it and use it to help her be compassionate and strong.  She's kind and funny and capable.  She gets her feelings hurt but doesn't hold grudges and is willing to talk about what bothers her.  She knows what she wants and is able to step away from things that she doesn't think are good for her even if it hurts.  And when she gets nervous she changes clothes about 15 times which was something I really related to!  Daniel is at a crossroads in his life.  He knows he doesn't want to go back to the rodeo but he's not sure exactly what he wants to do.  He's also having to come to terms with a family he's never really felt part of.  The pregnancy I was so scared of is a factor but in kind of an unusual way.  The pregnancy is a medical conception and something that Nicole is sure she wants and excited about despite the regular nerves and fears.  The pregnancy kind of forced Daniel to figure out what he wants with his life and really face his demons.  It felt authentic and didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.

Cons  This is the 6th book in the Texas Rodeo Barons series and the beginning especially felt a bit like the end of a series.  All 5 couples from the previous books are there and it took a bit to get everyone sorted out.  As well there is a big plot issue that has been building throughout the series that had to be wrapped up so that can feel a little jumbled if you're coming into the series now.  There are some fairly serious issues that get resolved pretty quickly. To me it worked but I can see it bothering someone.
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Overall:  Once again Tanya Michaels has caused me to stay up far too late to finish a book in one sitting!  The characters were the kind of characters you'd want to be friends with and I loved the big family feel to it.  While this worked great as a stand alone I think reading the previous 5 books in the series (all by different authors) would improve your enjoyment.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  This is the 2nd book I've read by Michaels that I've really enjoyed.  I'm not a cowboy fan but she's made my auto-buy list!

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Definitely!  I think most contemporary romance readers would enjoy this one.

The Shiro Project - Blog Tour Review

The Shiro Project: A Consortium Thriller (book 2) by David Khara

Rating: 4 Stars
Source: France Blog Tours

Description:  The horrors of World War 2 have never completely gone away for Eytan Morgenstern.  A genetically engineered gentle giant, the Mossad agent finds himself racing to stop a mysterious group bent on mass destruction.  With the help of his arch-enemy Elena and a Czech reporter Branislav Poborsky, Eytan must stop this group from killing more innocent people and to protect the person he cares for most.

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book: This is out of my usual genre of reading but I found the premise intriguing and I wanted to step out of the box a little.

My Impression:
Pros: In an action oriented book I normally find that character development is one of the things that gets left out.  The characters tend to be one dimensional, the good guys can't be beaten and the bad guys are villainous-ly evil. One of the things I loved most about this book was that this is the exception to that rule.  Eytan is kind of awesome.  He's this giant man who was basically designed to be a killing machine yet he lives by his code of ethics.  He lets compassion for the innocent drive him instead of hatred for the enemy.  He's funny, charismatic, watches Kung Fu movies in his free time but when he has too he can also kill 3 heavily armed soldiers in seconds.  While Elena is less likable I did begin to empathize with her.  The good guys were profiting from discoveries made in the most inhumane ways possible, the bad guys had some good intentions,  The plot kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next and what would become of Elena and Eytan.

Cons: There was a lot of jumping around both in terms of location and timeline.  While the change in locations was fun the changes in timelines made it feel a little disjointed.  While all the flashbacks were helpful to character development, it always took me a page or two to get re-involved in the story.

Overall:  While this wasn't perfect I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller.  The characters were what really made this book enjoyable for me which I find unusual for this genre.  This is the second book in the series but I had no problems jumping into the story.  I didn't feel like not reading the first book impacted my enjoyment.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: To be honest, while I was enjoying this book I kind of thought this answer would be no since it is a bit outside the box for me.  However, when I put this book down I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen to Eytan next!  So yes, I'll be reading more!

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Yes!

Top Ten Books I Want to Reread

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is Top Ten Books I Want to Reread.  Now unlike a lot of people I do really enjoy a reread and here's a list of 10 books I'm looking forward to rereading sometime (hopefully soon!)

1. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I listened to an audio version of The Great Gatsby recent and got such a different perspective of it than when I read it in high school.  I read this one on my own in college and would love to revisit this story.

2. East of Eden by John Steinbeck - This is another book I read on my own though I was in high school for this one.  There was a read along with this one not to long ago and it made me realize how little I remember about the story.

3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - Another one I read 20+ years ago and need to reread as an adult.  I've read a few pages of it recently but got distracted and haven't picked it back up.  I love Adams' dry offbeat humor.

4. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn - I laughed until I cried over parts of this one when I was reading it.  I know not everyone loves this one and the end is a little random but the part where Sebastian does a reading from Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron is hilarious.

5. Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis - Sawyer and Chloe are definitely one of everyone's favorite Lucky Harbor couples but it's been awhile since I read it.  With the new novella about them out I feel the need to go revisit the beginning!

6. The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry - It's heading towards Christmas time and it's making me want to reread this hilarious Christmas adventure from Dave Barry.  The nativity set war between the 2 big churches is worth reading just on it's own but the rest of the book is funny with just enough dash of sweet.

7.  Christmas with Anne by L.M. Montgomery - This is another one I always want to read around Christmas time.  These short stories and excerpts from books are all about Christmas and set the perfect mood for the holiday.

8.  The Blue Bedroom and Other Stories by Rosanunde Pilcher - I haven't read any Pilcher in awhile and the other day I realized I was missing her.  This short story collection is one of my favorites.

9.  The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom - I try and remind myself to reread this book every so often.  It's not an easy read but it's such an amazing book and really shows the best humanity has to offer while in the middle of the worst.

10.  Any Maud Silver book by Patricia Wentworth - It's been awhile since I've caught up with my favorite Governess turned Detective and I miss her!  

At Home with Madame Chic - Review

At Home with Madame Chic: Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life by Jennifer L. Scott

Rating: 4 Stars
Source:  NetGalley

Description:  As a foreign exchange student in Paris Jennifer Scott was taught the lessons of a chic life by her host mother - Madame Chic.  Years later, as a housewife with 2 small children Jennifer found herself fighting the battle of the chaos and clutter and decided to revisit Madame Chic's lessons and share them with us.

Genre: NonFiction

Why I Picked This Book:  The living a chic life appeals to me and I had been disappointed by a previous Paris-y book so I was hoping this would make up for it.
My Impression:
Pros: There's no groundbreaking information in this book.  I don't think you'll read anything and think "Wow!  That's life changing!"  However, what this book is is motivating which is something I at least, desperately need.  Yes, I know that taking care of the "hot" clutter zones immediately will only take a few seconds and make me much happier in the long run.  I know that creating a schedule and sticking as closely to it as life will allow will make my life easier to manage.  I know I should take a moment and just enjoy the now instead of always being in a rush.  But I frequently don't do any of these things and I bet I'm not the only one.  I liked that Scott stresses a do what works for you attitude.  She and I definitely don't agree on some things.  I'm not moving to a sit down breakfast (or breakfast at all other than coffee - I know, I know, I'm terrible) anytime soon or switching out of my yoga pants for around the house anytime soon. That being said I think she and I can reach some compromises on these.  Maybe I wear yoga pants when I have a day of housework ahead of me but I spend a little time on my makeup and wear perfume.  A sit down breakfast isn't going to happen but a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon could be added in while I'm getting my coffee ready to go.  I did love the idea of timing how long it takes to complete tasks you hate.  My desk was a cluttered mess that was driving me crazy but I didn't want to straighten it up.  When I finally did do you know how long it too me?  About 4 minutes.  I've been getting annoyed for weeks over a task that took 4 minutes.  She talks a lot about adding in things that you enjoy to your daily routine and even gives playlist and candle fragrance suggestions for different times of day.Also, there was a reference to one of Agatha Christie's lesser known works at the beginning that won me over right away!

Cons: There was a lot of information about entertaining which was completely lost on me as entertaining isn't something I really enjoy.  Some of the pages got a little monotonous as some of the tips apply to multiple issues and get repeated.

Overall: While this book wasn't ground breaking it was motivating and any book that can have me thinking with excitement about different housekeeping projects is a win in my book!  It did make me rethink some things that I was or wasn't doing and motivate me to get back on schedule.  It also reminded me how I've let little things I really enjoy - like listening to classical music while reading - slip away just because I'm always distracted or rushed.  I really enjoyed this one and wouldn't mind having a print copy to flip through periodically.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes I would.  I'm planning on adding her blog The Daily Connoisseur go my feed on Bloglovin' and will see if my library has her previous books.

Would I Recommend this Book?:  If you enjoyed Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project I think you would enjoy this one.  While I find Scott easier to relate to the focus was similar.

This Week in Reading - November 2nd

It's Sunday Post time!  Time to link up with the amazing Caffeinated Book Reviewer for some on and off blog talk!

What I Got:

Around the World in 50 Years by Albert Podell - I love travel books and I love project books so combine the two and I couldn't resist!  I'm not sure I want to go to every country on Earth but I plan on enjoying Podell's travels!  (NetGalley)

Treasure on Lilac Lane by Donna Alward - I'm halfway through with the first one in this series and couldn't resist the 2nd book (NetGalley)

Home for Dinner by Anne K. Fishel - We are one of the few families I know that regularly eat dinner together so I was curious to see what this book has to say and I can always use more recipes and tips!  (NetGalley)

Behind Every Great Man by Marlene Wagman-Gellar - I love biographies about almost famous people and this biography of women connected to famous men - such as Emma Wedgewood Darwin and Alma Reveille Hitchcock - so this book was impossible to pass up! (NetGalley)

We'll Always Have Paris by Jennifer Coburn - A combination travel memoir and book about strengthening bonds and learning to live without fear seemed impossible to pass up! (France Booktours)

A Sinful Deception by Isabella Bradford - Really all I had to see was the opening blurb that said this was for "fans of Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Sabrina Jeffries."  I'm not sure I looked at the blurb until after I requested it! (NetGalley)

Merry Christmas Baby by Jill Shalvis - A Lucky Harbor Christmas novella!  This one features one of my favorite couples - Chloe and Sawyer - a few years into their marriage.  I'm really excited but now am feeling the need to reread their book! (NetGalley)

Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris - I adore Neil Patrick Harris and from what I've seen of this one it's definitely not going to make me love him any less!  (Blogging for Books)

Currently:

Reading: The House on Blackberry Hill by Donna Alward - I'm having some serious house envy reading this one.  At Home with Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott which I'm really enjoying.  The Shiro Project by David Khara which is a fast paced thriller.  I alternate it with one of the others when I'm reading at night so I actually have a chance at going to sleep!

Listening:  Not a thing!  On the hold list for an audio book at the library and haven't had time to really look through the catalog to see what else is available.  Hoping to fix this soon!

Watching: Not much new other than football.  I tend to watch and read at the same time unless it's an Auburn game and then I end up watching it all.  I've started watching The Chew some again and always enjoy it. 

Off the Blog:

Well the major news is that Emma got her acceptance letter for her first choice school!  We are thrilled and she is enormously relieved since she had managed to make herself believe that she was at best going to be wait listed.  I knew she would get in but it's nice to see it in writing.  So War Eagle!  We're going to go visit her 2nd choice school this weekend so that may change but we'll see.

I  had minor oral surgery last week (teeth extraction - I have the mouth of a 6 year old apparently and I had 2 molars that were starting to give me problems) and just wanted to thank everyone for the get well wishes!  It went great other than I was kind of annoyed I wasn't immediately better.  For the most part I'm pretty healthy and the last time I'd been under any kind of anesthesia was 17 years ago when I had my wisdom teeth removed.  Turns out that anesthesia makes you kind of groggy.  Don't like it!  But all is well and I'm back up and going!

Halloween was a lot of fun though freezing!  Our Halloweens tend to run to freezing (well for us which is about 40) to hot (90) so it's always interesting to work costumes around it!  We're all Star Wars all the time around here so the Tornado went as Jango Fet and could barely contain his excitement.  It's been quite a week for him.  We had his field trip Tuesday, his school Halloween party Wednesday night and the Halloween.  

Moving on - how can it already be November??  I'm trying to make a list of everything I want to get caught up on before the end of the year.  Other than Thanksgiving and Christmas these 2 months will be relatively calm so hopefully I can get at least most of it done.  Bunches of blog stuff I want to get caught up with as well as house stuff and holiday planning.  I always have craft projects I want to do but when it really comes down to it I'm far more of a baker than a crafter.

I learned a lesson this week about forcing myself to read a book that I'm not in the mood for just because I have it set for a certain day in my head.  I read Karen Harper's Forbidden Ground (link below) and while I don't think I would have loved it at the best of times reading it while not in the mood for it is definitely not the way to do this!  I'm trying to remind myself to be more flexible at times like this even if it upsets my list-making little soul.

And last thing I promise because I know I'm talking (typing?) your ears off - is anyone interested in reading the Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen?  I have a trade paperback called A Royal Threesome which is the first 3 books in 1.  Anyone interested?  If so leave a way to comment you in the comments and I'll send it on your way - First Come First Serve and US only please.  

On the Blog

What Happened This Week:

Monday: The First 4 Hercule Poirot Books from Agatha Christie

Tuesday: Top Ten Books to Read to Get in the Halloween Spirit - well 8 books and 2 movies

Wednesday: Forbidden Ground - Review

Thursday: A Haunting is Brewing - Review - such a fun paranormal cozy!

Friday: Friday Linkups with excerpts from a short story collection called Even in Death

Saturday: The Cook It Up! Cookbook Challenge and Weekend Cooking

Coming Up:

Since I'm trying to learn my lesson if the review is not already written and scheduled it'll go down as just a TBD. There will be something that day I just don't necessarily know what!

Monday: At Home with Madame Chic

Tuesday:  Top Ten Books I Want to Reread

Wednesday: The Shiro Project - Blog Tour Review

Thursday:  TBD but hopefully something Christmas-y

Friday: Linkups with whatever book I'm reading which I hope will be Neal Patrick Harris's autobiography

Saturday: The American Plate - Review

Happy Reading!

Cook It Up Cookbook Challenge - October Edition

I'm hooking up with Beth Fish Reads for Weekend Cooking and Cook It Up: A Cookbook Challenge hosted by Trish Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity

This month was crazy somehow.  J was out of town through part of it, we were out of town, I had surgery, Paul had a handful of evening soccer games, Emma was very rarely home, and the Tornado had a couple of evening school events.  Needless to say that didn't make for much time to cook dinner.  When I was searching around my cookbook stash at the beginning of the month I knew I was going to need to a book that could deliver on quick - both in terms of prep and cleanup.  When I came to a couple of battered old cookbooks with those plastic comb bindings I knew I had found exactly what I needed!

When J and I got married I didn't cook.  Didn't know how and had no interest.  But the first summer we were married J ended up going on what was supposed to be a 4 day business trip that ended up stretching into about 3 weeks.  The fact that I, a college graduate, couldn't figure out how to cook a simple dinner all of a sudden seemed absolutely crazy and I decided to fix it.  That Christmas my grandmother gave me 4 cookbooks by Holly Clegg.  Her focus was on quick and healthy and everything I made out of the books was not only easy but it was GOOD!  But as time went on and I got a little more experienced I continued trying out new cookbooks and new trends and Holly's books drifted towards the back of the pile.

Now the 1 I ended using this month, Trim and Terrific American Classics was published in 1996 and is now out of print.  Given then age of the book you'd expect a lot of really dated ingredients but apparently Holly was into fresh ingredients before fresh was cool because everything is easy to find and there's not a can of cream of mushroom soup to be found!

Here's the recipe for the Smothered Pork Chops we had the other night:

1 onion, finely chopped (I used about half but really should have listened and used the whole onion)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 boneless pork chops
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon browning and seasoning sauce (never heard of this but found it by the Worcestershire sauce)

In a skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until tender, about 4 minutes.  Add the pork chops and brown on both sides.  Add the water and bring to a simmer.  Dissolve the flour in the chicken broth and stir into the skillet.  Add the browning sauce to give the gravy a nice color.  Cook, covered, over low heat for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender - My pork chops were thin so it was more like 25 to 30 minutes
Makes 6 servings Calories per serving 192

I'm scared of gravy but this was everything a gravy should be - smooth, thick, flavorful, and amazing over mashed potatoes.  While this may not be the most impressive dish it was tasty and filling without being to heavy.

In addition to her regular healthy recipes she has books tailored to diabetic diets, those going through cancer treatment and even arthritis.  Her freezer friendly book offers tons of great family friendly recipes with instructions for cooking immediately or for freezing/thawing later.  She has a number of recipes you can try at her website - Holly Clegg.  If you're looking for healthy yet family friendly she's definitely one to check out!