Foodie Fridays: Review of The Complete Quick Cook

The Complete Quick Cook from Cooking Light
Genre: Cookbook
Pages: 352
Source: Gift
Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Book Depo

Short Description:
The Top Ten Secrets of a Quick Cook Over 200 recipes that can be prepared in under 30 minutes
Even Faster: easy tips within the recipes for making that particular recipe even faster!
On the Side: short sentence recipes for super-quick side dish ideas
Savvy in a Snap: ingredient spotlights of where to find certain ingredients and how to use them

My Rating:

My Review:

Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop

The The Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop is hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Mundie's Moms. It will run from June 29 - July 5.

I'm as lazy as ever.  Or let's just call it traditional.  Or perhaps...adverse to change.  Any who, I'm giving a way a book of one lucky winner's choice for $10 or less.  You can participate if the Book Depository ships to your mailbox.  Good luck and I hope everyone gets some great reading in!  Read a little extra for me!

Here's what you need to know:

1.  This is an International Giveaway (Whoohoo!) 
2. You do NOT have to be a FOLLOWER, but it is much appreciated 
3. I will use rafflecopter to choose a winner 
4. This contest will end on July 5 at 11:59pm central time. I will announce a winner a few days after. Good Luck!

Review: Hammered (Audiobook)

Hammered by by Kevin Hearne
Iron Druid Chronicles #3
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 9 hours 40 minutes
Narrator: Luke Daniels
Author's Website 
Buy it: Amazon | Kindle | Audiobook | B&N | Book Depo 

 Description:

Thor, the Norse god of thunder, is worse than a blowhard and a bully—he’s ruined countless lives and killed scores of innocents. After centuries, Viking vampire Leif Helgarson is ready to get his vengeance, and he’s asked his friend Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, to help take down this Norse nightmare. One survival strategy has worked for Atticus for more than two thousand years: stay away from the guy with the lightning bolts. But things are heating up in Atticus’s home base of Tempe, Arizona. There’s a vampire turf war brewing, and Russian demon hunters who call themselves the Hammers of God are running rampant. Despite multiple warnings and portents of dire consequences, Atticus and Leif journey to the Norse plain of Asgard, where they team up with a werewolf, a sorcerer, and an army of frost giants for an epic showdown against vicious Valkyries, angry gods, and the hammer-wielding Thunder Thug himself.

My Rating:

My Review:

Why I Love Wednesdays... Favorite Websites

Welcome to Why I Love Wednesdays!  For the month of June and July, my blogging friends will pop in to share their book loves!  I know you get tired of hearing me gush on and on so let's hear from my fellow gushers :)  Why I love which takes place on Wednesdays. Today's proclamation of love concerns our Favorite Websites!

Hi there guys! It’s Amber from Du Livre and I’m excited to call Reflections of a Bookaholic home for a day (er...post).

The internet is a great source for information, especially regarding all things books. It seems like a new book blog pops up every day, which is GREAT. There can never be enough! Here are just a few of my favorite sites:

GoodReads This site is why I decided to blog. I never knew a community about books existed and I loved that I could read reviews, look at pretty covers, and complain about plot points with fellow readers. It’s kind of like facebook for books...except without the games and the long lost relatives who keep poking you.

XPresso Reads Not only is Giselle on top of EVERYTHING, she is also such a sweetheart! I love Xpresso Reads because of the quality reviews that are always honest. Xpresso Reads is also filled with such great information: blog tours, cover reveals, guest posts, fun memes and zombies! If you haven’t been there, I highly recommend you do so!

ParaJunkee Rachel has such a FUN and informative site! She has the ever helpful “Book Blogging 101” which basically goes over book blogger etiquette and I appreciate that her personality really shines through her blog. She has a great (and honest) sense of humor, her posts are always entertaining (just saw that she posted a Shades of Grey parody...go watch...now) and her designs are soo pretty!

Amber in Blunderland/Down the Rabbit Hole Her name is also Amber so I OBVIOUSLY have to feature her! :p I really enjoy this site, she has great blog post discussion, memes you wouldn’t find anywhere else and great reviews! Not only are her posts creative and thoughtful, her design layout is SUPER cute!

On the Shelf I love Vyki’s site! It’s full of fun memes and great reviews! Did I mention that Vyki is awesome, because she is. I love that she reviews both paperback books and audiobooks and includes a ‘mini-review’ of the audio book narrator. As someone who is extremely wary of audiobooks, I love having this information! She also has great giveaways! Visit!!!

And of course we all love Reflections of a Bookaholic! With such a broad genre of reviews and great new challenges, what’s not to love?

Keep reading loves, tchao!

~Amber from Du Livre
Genre: Young Adult
Blogging Since: August 2011

“What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore it knows it's not fooling a soul.” (Neil Gaiman, American Gods)

As an avid reader, I frequent many bookish websites. There are tons of blogger sites that I absolutely love but on the professional side, my two favorite (and most informative) bookish sites are Goodreads and Edelweiss. If you are a book lover who likes connecting with other avid readers, checking out reviews or winning free books, Goodreads is an absolute must! I love commenting on other reviews and getting excited with my fellow readers over upcoming releases. Goodreads also lets you organize and categorize your books, which comes in handy when you read a large volume of books like I do.

My other favorite is Edelweiss, an online publisher catalog service that replaces traditional hard-copy publisher catalogs. From a reader/blogger end, Edelweiss allows me to view publishers’ catalogs and see which books are coming out soon, get information about the author, see comparable titles and in some cases, request digital advanced reading copies for review. The site also shows you marketing plans for some books such as if the author will be on tour, if the publisher plans on providing advanced copies for review, or if the book will be available on NetGalley (another awesome bookish site!).

While these are just two of my favorite bookish site, there are tons more out there. What are yours?

~NC from Truly Bookish My name is NC and I have been blogging at Truly Bookish for about a year and a half. While I love YA books and review a lot of them, I also adore historical and Christian fiction. I’m originally from the beautiful island of Jamaica and am also a wife and mom to two active and extremely handsome little boys (I’m partial, I know).

There is one bookish website I love over all others. It just fits me perfectly and I would be utterly lost without it. That site is Goodreads. For a booklover like me I need a place to keep track of books I have read and books I want to read. It has become my go to place. Because you find everything here, from pagecount to character names. It all comes in handy when I have a review to finish and I wonder about things. And of course it would be nowhere as fun without my bookpeeps.

Another place I want to talk about is the glorious Bookdepository sites (http://www.bookdepository.com/ and http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/). They are cheap..really cheap! And the best thing of all, no shipping cost. If I go into a bookstore here the books will cost twice as much. No wonder I love Bookdepo and they ship all over the world. It’s a true goldmine and I urge everyone to check it out.

When it comes to bookblogs I follow a lot, and I love them all too. So it would feel strange to talk about a few good ones, since I in the end want to mention them all. But I can take a few funs ones. Those who give me laughs.

Stumbling over Chaos because I love her linkity Fridays. She has got everything there and a lot of bookish fun

Babbling about books and more!ame thing here, I love her WTF posts. They make me laugh and the cover of some books. *shakes head* Those are the two that gives me bookish fun, together with reviews and more.

Who else, oh yes, Books as portable pieces of thought because her reviews of books she does not like are the best. She is always head on and I wish I wrote reviews that good. (oh you knew Ana that I had to mention you ;)

There are more I would love to mention (you guys know who you are!) You are the people that make me buy books, the ones that make my TBP grow sky-high. You are the ones whose reviews I trust and the ones blogs I visit every day.

~Blodeuedd from Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

My blog is called Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell. I could never stick to only one genre so I read most (UF, PNR, HR, Chick-lit, historical fiction, fiction and my beloved favorite fantasy.) I have been blogging for over 3 years and I have loved every second of it. I write about books because that is what I like doing, reading is a passion and I wish there was more hours in a day.

 “Every book has a soul, the soul of the person who wrote it and the soul of those who read it and dream about it.” Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Angel’s Game

Which websites do you love? Feel free to create your own post and link up.  Don't want to create an entire post?  Tell me your favorites in the comments.  Thanks for stopping by for another week of Why I Love Wednesdays!!

If you want to play along, feel free to grab the image (there is a button on the right sidebar now) and link your post in the linky. Here goes.

LINKY INSTRUCTIONS:

When naming your link, please choose the name of your post. Mine would say "Why I Love...Rhett Butler."

Please link directly to your post and not your blog.

Please participate :)

Previous Why I Love Wednesday Posts

Book Spotlight: Don't Call Me Angel

DON'T CALL ME ANGEL by Alicia Wright Brewster After crawling her way out of Hell, Six is ready to cast aside her angel wings and all the responsibilities that come with them. But Earth is not as peaceful as she imagined it. Demons, dark angels, and other hell-beasties escaped before her, and they're not as content as she is to live a quiet life on Earth. A fellow angel who escaped Hell with her commits a series of soul-murders, destroying human souls so they can't go to the afterlife. Although Six has conflicting feelings about humans, she goes after the other angel to keep their escape a secret from the one she fears most.

Available on Paperback, Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. Read and excerpt now!

The Author Alicia Wright Brewster is a mild-mannered lady of average height and above average paranormal obsession. By day, she works in an office. At night, she's an author, an electronics junkie, and a secret superhero. (Please don't ask what her superpower is. That's not very polite.) In her virtually non-existent free time, she loves to read, watch movies, and eat food. She is particularly fond of the food-eating and makes a point to perform this task at least three times per day, usually more. Visit her at: www.aliciawb.com, Goodreads, Twitter

CHECK OUT THE BOOK TRAILER

Sunday Best: A Little Bit of Everything

I'm especially grateful when I stumble across wonderful posts that interest me and brighten my day.  Plus, I'm drawn toward memes right now because I'm missing the interaction with bloggers (*sniffle *sniffle)  I decided to be proactive (I hate that word) and participate in The Sunday Best, hosted by Tanya at Girlxoxo.com.

On Sundays, we share the best post on our blogs from the week and link them up. Join us in showing off your Sunday Best and leave a comment or two.

My Favorite Blog Post of this Week:

Book Spotlight: Barefoot Girls

Favorites From Other Book Blogs:

"The Queen: A Life in Brief" Review from In the Hammock Book Reviews
Reading and Eating: Oatmeal with Pepitas from Girlxoxo
Why I Love Wednesdays... from Wall-to-Wall Books

What did you think of the links I posted?  What were your favorite posts of the week, leave a link in the comments so I can visit them!

Foodie Fridays: Chinese Five Spice Steak with Rice Noodles

I'm back again participating in the Geeky Blogger Book Blog's new Foodie Friday's meme.  She started this meme to combine her two faves--books and cooking.  Seeing as how I share those loves AND cooking decreases my stress, I couldn't contain my excitement.  I could kill two birds with one stone. It will be the perfect addition to Reflections of a Bookaholic as other content will slow and I can document the cooking I will do as I attempt to decrease the stress of bar prep.

First Cookbook up?

Chinese Five Spice Steak with Rice Noodles

Ingredients

4 ounces uncooked wide rice stick noodles
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons minced green onions
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 medium tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil


Preparation:


Cook noodles according to package directions. While noodles cook, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and steak in a large bowl. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced green onions and garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add beef mixture; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in tomato wedges, green onion pieces, and chopped basil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Review:

Oh this one is oh so yummy!

I loved... how tender the meat is.  I usually don't get meat this tender without marinating it for a couple of hours.  The recipe didn't call for marinating and it certainly wasn't needed.

I loved... that there weren't that many ingredients and I had everything except the noodles and the spice around the house.  Well I had to buy the flank steak but you know what I mean.

I loved... that this was a pretty quick meal.  I had the store cut the steak for me so all I had to do here was throw everything together and boil the noodles (which I didn't eat).

I didn't actually eat the noodles.  I put them on my plate for pictures, but I think I would have preferred brown rice with this one.  My only complaint (and this is a minor one) is the sodium.   I can ingest a lot of sodium just like the next person.  I do eat processed foods after all.  But for some reason, I really noticed the sodium in the taste here.  Next time, I'll cut down the low sodium soy sauce to one tablespoon and cut the hoisin sauce just a bit too.

I cooked this one just to spice it up a bit.  I don't eat red meat much because I don't digest it well.  So what did you think?  Would you try this one?  


Coming up next week... one more recipe on this cookbook and a review on the cookbook as a whole.

Previous Recipes from Cooking Light: The Complete Quick Cook
Hunan Lamb 
Barbecued Chicken Pizza
Chicken Chilaquiles

Why I Love Wednesdays... Children's Books

Welcome to Why I Love Wednesdays!  For the month of June and July, my blogging friends will pop in to share their book loves!  I know you get tired of hearing me gush on and on so let's hear from my fellow gushers :)  Why I love which takes place on Wednesdays. Today's proclamation of love concerns our Favorite Children's Books!

I read some really strange things when I was a kid, but one book that always struck a chord with me was "¡Por Favor, Vuelve a Casa!"* by Christine Nostlinger (which means "Please, Come home!") and it's about Erika, an 11 year old girl, who is trying to piece together the reasons why her older sister Ilse (14) decided to run away from home and figure out where she might be.

Ilse is probably one of the most unlikable characters ever, but I always empathized with Erika - the little sister who is telling the story - because, as a little sister myself, I understood how frustrated Erika was by her older sister and how that frustration was also mixed with love.

Also, it has one of my favorite lines ever: "I don't tell lies. The truth is usually already strange enough."

Anyway, it was actually my big sister Boo who brought the book home - she had to read it for school - when I was about 12, and we both loved it. We both read it over and over, even after my dad accidentally drilled through he book by mistake (or so he says >.>) .

~Alex from A Girl, Books And Other Things.
Been blogging for 4 years (just turned four last month!) and I focus on YA and Romance Novels. =) Describes me the best: "People who don't know me think I'm quiet; people who know me wish I was."

…
*I think this book was published in English as "Girl, Missing" many years ago, but it's currently out of print.

I’ve been a bookworm ever since I learned how to read at five years old, so I’ve amassed a pretty large number of favorite books over the years (and I’m sure it’ll just keep getting bigger). But one of my all time favorite books I read when I was a kid would have to be, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. I remember getting it from the library one the day I got my first library card, I read the whole thing in two days and completely fell in love with it. Neverland was such a magical place, I mean who wouldn’t want to go there? I remember watching the stars looking for the “Second star to the right” and wondering what it would be like to fly. The world of Neverland has always been one of my favorite places to lose myself in and was also the fuel for many of the imaginative adventures I had as a kid. I even wanted to be Peter Pan for Halloween, followed quickly by Tinker Bell the next year lol. At the time it was the first book I’d read that had faeries in it and I was utterly fascinated by them, and so began my never ending love affair with faeries. After that I read any book about faeries that I could get my hands on, and to this day I still gravitate towards faerie books. Peter Pan will always have a special place in my heart and memories, and if I have kids one day it will most definitely be one of the first books I read to them.

~Taylor from Thoughts Of An Endless Dreamer
I’ve been blogging for a year now so I’m still a bit of a newbie and definitely still learning things.
I read and review a whole range of different genres, but most of the books on my blog are YA. Some of my favorite genres are: YA, Urban/Modern Fantasy, High Fantasy, Dystopian, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, and Contemporary/Romance.

I'm a 21 year old aspiring author & photographer, a dreamer, a bookworm, and a nerd. I love blogging, all things vintage, and Starbucks makes me happy :)

For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” ~Oscar Wilde

Why I love The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I first read this when I was about ten years old and loved it so much I consider it to be my all time favorite children's book. I wasn't much of a reader at the time -except for maybe comic books- but something about O'Dell's writing and the story of Karana, a Native girl accidentally left behind on her tribe's former island home, had me so enthralled I couldn't put it down. I loved the adventure and Karana's amazing courage as she takes on the business of solitary survival. She lives in a cave, makes tools, hunts, fishes, and tries to keep the wild dogs away -except for the injured one that adopts her after she nurses him back to health- all while waiting for a rescue that doesn't come for eighteen years. Even though I don't remember much of the details of the story, I do remember how it left me feeling - this girl was so cool, tough and resilient I wanted to be just like her. I went on to read and enjoy other books after this one, but really, it was Island of the Blue Dolphins that started it all.

 ~Trish from Desktop Retreat
 My blog, Desktop Retreat, is a small reading journal I started about four years ago as a place to collect all the bookish quotes, images, thoughts and reviews that otherwise would be all over the place. The books I read are mostly contemporary and historical fiction with a god portion of classics, memoirs, and non-fiction as well. It really depends on the day.

~Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.~
-Charles W. Elliot

Which children's books do you love? Feel free to create your own post and link up.  Don't want to create an entire post?  Tell me your favorites in the comments.  Thanks for stopping by for another week of Why I Love Wednesdays!!

If you want to play along, feel free to grab the image (there is a button on the right sidebar now) and link your post in the linky. Here goes.

LINKY INSTRUCTIONS:

When naming your link, please choose the name of your post. Mine would say "Why I Love...Rhett Butler."

Please link directly to your post and not your blog.

Please participate :)

Previous Why I Love Wednesday Posts

Book Spotlight: Barefoot Girls

Barefoot Girls by Tara McTiernan
Author's Website

When her hometown newspaper reviews Hannah O’Brien’s newly released novel, the nature of her book is called into question when the reviewer suggests it is a memoir depicting her neglectful alcoholic mother – Keeley O’Brien Cohen, the most beloved of the Barefoot Girls - a little too accurately for fiction, citing rumors rather than sources.

Deeply hurt and betrayed, Keeley cuts Hannah out of her life. Desperate, Hannah does everything she can to apologize and explain, but her pleas fall on deaf ears. Meanwhile, the rest of Hannah’s life starts to unravel, pushing her to risk her engagement to Daniel, the one man who had been able to scale the high walls around her heart. At the eleventh hour, the Barefoot Girls are able to convince Keeley to send Hannah the keys to the Barefooter house, the home and heart of their friendship. Barred from their clubhouse since she was twelve, Hannah grabs the chance to visit the little shack filled with memories and perched at the tip of Captain’s Island in the Great South Bay on Long Island, New York.

As Hannah battles to come to terms with her equally blessed and troubled childhood and understand her mother and her sister-close friends, she’s confronted with the power of forgiveness and the dangers of holding on to the past.

About the Author

A voracious reader known to complete a book in a single sitting, Tara McTiernan grew up in Riverside, Connecticut where the librarians learned that she had a terrible addiction to certain books - re-reading them and continually checking them out until her parents had to be called in and limits set to the number of times she was allowed to take out a book. "Other children would like to have a chance to read this book, too," she was told to her great consternation. To this day, there are certain books Tara will not lend out to others as she has to have them on hand at all times.

Around the same time as the library-lending--debacle, Tara started writing and found her true calling. The only problem was that she was told that, unless she was ridiculously lucky along the lines of a lottery winner, she would never make a living as a writer. So, she dabbled in various careers, never finding her way back until her forties, when she became obstreperous about her writing, refusing to back down again. The result is her novel, Barefoot Girls, as well as several published short stories in literary magazines. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, Ash, and their collection of dog-eared books. For more on Tara and her writing, visit her blog at http://taramctiernanfiction.blogspot.com/

Excerpt:

Sunday Best: Sharing is Caring

I'm especially grateful when I stumble across wonderful posts that interest me and brighten my day.  Plus, I'm drawn toward memes right now because I'm missing the interaction with bloggers (*sniffle *sniffle)  I decided to be proactive (I hate that word) and participate in The Sunday Best, hosted by Tanya at Girlxoxo.com.

On Sundays, we share the best post on our blogs from the week and link them up. Join us in showing off your Sunday Best and leave a comment or two.

Update on my life: 
Bar Prep...there are no words!  I haven't read one book since I started studying and I planned to read for a hour before bed every night.  It's not happening.  When I ask for your favorite posts of the week at the end of the post, I really mean it.  Please share with me (including yours) because I'm definitely struggling to get around to my favorite blogs and I would love if you'd throw the posts in my face in the comments.  You know you want to!

My Favorite Blog Post of this Week:

Why I Love Wednesdays with Penelope and Steph

Favorites From Other Book Blogs:

Audiosync: Free YA Audiobooks (Good Ones) All Summer! from Attack of the Book

What did you think of the links I posted?  What were your favorite posts of the week, leave a link in the comments so I can visit them!

Foodie Fridays: Chicken Chilaquiles

I'm back again participating in the Geeky Blogger Book Blog's new Foodie Friday's meme.  She started this meme to combine her two faves--books and cooking.  Seeing as how I share those loves AND cooking decreases my stress, I couldn't contain my excitement.  I could kill two birds with one stone. It will be the perfect addition to Reflections of a Bookaholic as other content will slow and I can document the cooking I will do as I attempt to decrease the stress of bar prep.

First Cookbook up?

Chicken Chilaquiles

Ingredients


Makes 4 servings (I made mine into 8)


2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers, divided 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (11-ounce) can tomatillos, drained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray


For step-by-step instructions, please visit here.

My Review:

Why I Love Wednesdays with Penelope and Steph

Welcome to Why I Love Wednesdays!  For the month of June and July, my blogging friends will pop in to share their book loves!  I know you get tired of hearing me gush on and on so let's hear from my fellow gushers :)  Why I love which takes place on Wednesdays. Today's proclamation of love concerns our Favorite Authors!

One of my favorite authors is Suzanne Collins. I adore her. I love the way she crafted The Hunger Games into more than just another book about a girl and a boy. I love that she based Katniss on Theseus, and give her a personality and drive that makes her such a strong character. Without overdoing it, she placed messages and warnings to be found in the series; things that apply to our society today. And--as if trying to exemplify the message of the series--she has stayed out of the public’s eye, for the most part, and hasn’t relished in the fame that her books (and movies) have brought her. Some call it reclusive; I call it classy. Suzanne Collins rocks!

~Penelope from The Reading Fever
How long have you been blogging? For 5 years, but The Reading Fever is only 16 months old
 Primary genre focus: Young Adult, with some MG and adult fiction mixed in.

My name is Penelope, and I’m the blogger behind The Reading Fever. I love to read books that make me feel something, whether it be anger, sadness, love, etc.. I call these fever inducers, because they give me the reading fever. Hence, the name of my blog. ;)

It is my absolute pleasure to be visiting Reflections of a Bookaholic today to discuss one of my all time favorite authors. As a book blogger I am frequently asked about my favorite author. I have many favorite authors who all hold a place in my heart for very different reasons. I have my favorites in both modern literature and classic literature, but today I would like to share with you the beloved Charlotte Perkins Gilman. She is not as well known as some of the others who are my favorite and there is a lot to be learned from her work.

 
Charlotte Perkins Gilman is most known for her short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, which is a series of journal entries that are written in first person by the narrator. The premise is a nameless woman's decent into psychosis in a room where she is locked in with her thoughts. It deals with women's suppression, and the mistreatment of a woman by her husband. It is up to the reader to decide whether the husband acts out of concern or from malice. The end is a sad, but feminist triumph of sorts.

Charlote Perkins Gilman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper after a bout with postpartum psychosis and is semi-autobiographic. The Yellow Paper is a part of the public domain so copies are available in multiple eBook formats, free of charge. It is listed in the 2006 edition of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.
Contributing to Charlotte Perkins Gilman's unique writing style is her place in history as an American socialist, feminist, and lecturer of social reform. Each work, no matter how short, is filled with higher meaning. Her work is capable of lending many precious discussion opportunities for those who choose to read her work as a group.

One of my favorite quotes from Charlotte Perkins Gilman must have been written when she was in a period where her frame of mind was healthier than it was at other times. "The first duty of a human being is to assume the right functional relationship to society--more briefly, to find your real job, and do it."

Gilman was born on July 3, 1860 and died on August 17, 1935 by suicide. In her suicide letter she wrote, "When all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one", a sad outlook to be sure. It appears that Gilman suffered greatly from her own thoughts.
Works by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Gilman published 186 short stories in newspapers, magazines and in her own, self-published monthly publication, The Forerunner, as well as several book length works, lectures, poetry, and her autobiography, The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. A fill list of her work can be found on Wikipedia here.  I hope that I have given you enough to peak your curiosity and you will take the time to experience the work of Charlotte Perkins Gilman for yourself. Enjoy!

~Stephanie is the blogger behind Five Alarm Book Reviews.
She has worked in the area of publication and has been reviewing books for local media for a number of years. Stephanie has been blogging at Five Alarm Book Reviews for a little more than a year. Favorite genres are historical fiction, classics, literary fiction and mysteries. Her blog is multi-genre, MG through adult. The features that she most enjoys writing are At Home With..., her feature that brings the reader into the personal life and home of various authors, and Shelf Candy, her feature that highlights a favorite book cover with emphasis on the designer, illustrator or photographer.

Thank you Penelope and Steph for sharing your favorite authors with us.  I absolutely love Suzanne Collins too! I definitely think it is difficult to do what she did and the trilogy was so much more than a story about a girl and a boy.  I didn't know much about Charlotte Perkins Gilman before your post.  I'm definitely going to check out her writing, especially since it is free!  Thanks Ladies!!


Which authors do you love? Feel free to create your own post and link up.  Don't want to create an entire post?  Tell me your favorites in the comments.  Thanks for stopping by for another week of Why I Love Wednesdays!!

If you want to play along, feel free to grab the image (there is a button on the right sidebar now) and link your post in the linky. Here goes.

LINKY INSTRUCTIONS:

When naming your link, please choose the name of your post. Mine would say "Why I Love...Rhett Butler."

Please link directly to your post and not your blog.

Please participate :)

Previous Why I Love Wednesday Posts

Book Spotlight: The Car Thief

The Car Thief by Theodore Weesner

It’s 1959. Sixteen year-old Alex Housman has just stolen his fourteenth car and frankly doesn’t know why. His divorced, working class father grinds out the night shift at the local Chevy Plant in Detroit, kept afloat by the flask in his glove compartment and the open bottles of booze in his Flint, Michigan home.

Abandoned and alone, father and son struggle to express a deep love for each other, even as Alex fills his day juggling cheap thrills and a crushing depression. He cruises and steals, running from, and to, the police, compelled by reasons he frustratingly can’t put into words. And then there’s Irene Shaeffer, the pretty girl in school whose admiration Alex needs like a drug in order to get by. Broke and fighting to survive, Alex and his father face the realities of estrangement, incarceration, and even violence as their lives hurtle toward the climactic episode that a New York Times reviewer called “one of the most profoundly powerful in American fiction.”

In this rich, beautifully crafted story, Weesner accomplishes a rare feat: He’s written a transcendent piece of literature in deceptively plain language, painting a gripping portrait of a father and a son, otherwise invisible among the mundane, everyday details of life in blue collar America.

A true and enduring American classic.

“Theodore Weesner has written a story so modestly precise and so movingly inevitable that before I knew what was happening to me I felt in the grip of some kind of thriller.”

—Joseph McElroy, New York Times

“The Car Thief is a poignant and beautifully-written novel, so true and so excruciatingly painful that one can’t read it without feeling the knife’s cruel blade in the heart.”

—Margaret Manning, The Boston Globe

“A simply marvelous novel.  Alex (the protagonist) emerges from it as a kind of blue-collar Holden Caulfield.”

—Kansas City Star

About the Author:

Theodore Weesner, born in Flint, Michigan, is aptly described as a “Writers’ Writer” by the larger literary community. His short works have been published in the New Yorker, Esquire, Saturday Evening Post, Atlantic Monthly and Best American Short Stories. His novels, including The True Detective, Winning the City and Harbor Light, have been published to great critical acclaim in the New York Times, The Washington Post, Harper’s, The Boston Globe, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, Boston Magazine and The Los Angeles Times to name a few. Weesner is currently writing his memoir, two new novels, and an adaptation of his widely praised novel—retitled Winning the City Redux—also to be published by Astor + Blue Editions. He lives and works in Portsmouth, NH.

Review: Wicked Lovely (Audiobook)

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely #1
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance
Length: 10 Hours and 9 minutes
Narrator: Alyssa Bresnahan
Source: eLibrary
Author's Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy it: Amazon | Kindle | Audio | B&N | Book Depo

Description:

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens. Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires. Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21 st century faery tale.

My Rating:

My Review:

The Sunday Best: About the Authors

I'm especially grateful when I stumble across wonderful posts that interest me and brighten my day.  Plus, I'm drawn toward memes right now because I'm missing the interaction with bloggers (*sniffle *sniffle)  I decided to be proactive (I hate that word) and participate in The Sunday Best, hosted by Tanya at Girlxoxo.com.

On Sundays, we share the best post on our blogs from the week and link them up. Join us in showing off your Sunday Best and leave a comment or two.

My Favorite Blog Post of this Week:

Foodie Fridays: Barbecued Chicken Pizza

Favorites From Other Book Blogs:

At Home with Love Harper Lee from Five Alarm Book Reviews
Review and Interview: Jessamine by Eugenia O'Neal from Sort of Beautiful

What did you think of the links I posted?  What were your favorite posts of the week, leave a link in the comments so I can visit them!

Foodie Fridays: Barbecued Chicken Pizza

I'm back again participating in the Geeky Blogger Book Blog's new Foodie Friday's meme.  She started this meme to combine her two faves--books and cooking.  Seeing as how I share those loves AND cooking decreases my stress, I couldn't contain my excitement.  I could kill two birds with one stone. It will be the perfect addition to Reflections of a Bookaholic as other content will slow and I can document the cooking I will do as I attempt to decrease the stress of bar prep.

First Cookbook up?

Barbecued Chicken Pizza


Ingredients


1 (10 oz) whole-wheat thin Italian pizza crust
6 tablespoons bottled barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
3/4 coup (3 ounce) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese


1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.  Place crust on a large baking sheet.  Spread barbecue sauce over crust to within 1/2 inch of edge.  Sprinkle with chicken, Gouda, onion, oregano, crushed red pepper, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
3.  Bake at 450 degrees for 16 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is golden.  Cool for 5 minutes.


Yields 6 servings, but I cut mine into 4.

Review:

Giveaway Results: Perla and Giveaway Hop

Results are in for TWO giveaways!

Congratulations to Margaret.  She has won Perla by Carolina de Robertis.  

Congratulations to Karlene who has won the Splash into Summer Giveaway.  She can choose a book of her choice.

Thank you everyone who entered my giveaway : )

The winner will have 48 hours to respond with their address and other information. If there is no response, I will choose a new winner. Thank you everyone for entering the giveaway. The winner was selected using rafflecopter

Didn't win this time? No worries, I'm currently hosting a giveaway of The Year of the Gadfly.  Don't forget to check it out!

Why I Love Wednesdays... Sidekick

Welcome to Why I Love Wednesdays!  For the month of June and July, my blogging friends will pop in to share their book loves!  I know you get tired of hearing me gush on and on so let's hear from my fellow gushers :)  Why I love which takes place on Wednesdays. Today's proclamation of love concerns our Favorite Sidekicks!

My favorite sidekicks from books that I've read in 2012 - well, how can I not start with Tiny from Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Leviathan. Tiny is such a loud, lovable, over-the-top drama queen, who's as big as a house, loves musicals and giving hugs. In a book full of teenage boy angst, he is a beacon of light & sanity for his friends. (Goodreads | My Review)

Now, I also like a side-kick that can kick some booty (not just kill 'em with hugs like Tiny), and they don't come much braver than Four from Divergent by Veronica Roth. He's who I would like to have on my side in a fight - a loyal guy who's willing to stand-up for what's right. (Goodreads | My Review)

And a final shout-out to Eldric from Chime (Franny Billingsley). He knows when to act and when to keep quiet and listen - 2 invaluable traits in a side-kick. (Goodreads | My Review)

~Tanya Patrice from Girlxoxo.com.
I've been harassing the internet public with my opinions about books since late October, 2011. I consider myself a lover of genre fiction, and a very eclectic reader - so you can usually find me immersed in anything from fantasy to mystery and paranormal - even a little literary fiction from time to time.

Sidekicks. I’ve had a soft spot for the little guy (so to speak) in books, though I tend to have a softer spot for the villains. That’s another story for another day, lol. The protagonist of a book may or may not be favored by the author. You ever notice that? Things just happen to fall into place for them sometimes, even the bad things that happen lead them to this shiny pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Meh. It’s the sidekicks that really pick up the slack of keeping you engaged in some cases. They’re built to be cool, generally speaking. To be funny, to be the voice of reason, to be the incurable romantic, and they get none of the protagonist benefits of a happy ending. Sometimes we don’t even find out what happens to them at the end of the story. So I’m often Team Sidekick, just because they’re more interesting to me. Yes, I am funny like that So, for this magnificent blog appearance, my favorite sidekick is the magnificent bottom-biting magic pony from the Abby Sinclair series by Allison Pang. His name is Phin. He is made of awesome, and you’ve read these books you’ll know he’s the supreme awesome stuff of dreams. I mean, a pervy magic poney! Seriously fun, he cracked me up with each appearance.

~Butterfly-o-Meter Books
Blogging for: 1 year, more or less.
Genre Focus: ugh…PNR I think.
Quote: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
― Maya Angelou

What a fun topic! Thanks so much to Alexis for giving it to me. I had to really think this one through but in the end it came down to a no-brainer. Since I was about 14 years old, I have been totally in love with Johnny Cade (don’t tell my husband!) If you know who Johnny Cade is, it is obvious we are kindred spirits; if you don’t … well, let me introduce you. Johnny Cade is Pony Boy’s best friend and sidekick. He always has Pony Boy’s back. He is a little shy and very sweet with longish dark hair and almost black eyes. There is nothing he won’t do for his friends – and I mean nothing. Where his friends are concerned he has no boundaries. Every time I read The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, I want to jump through the pages and bring Johnny home with me. If you haven’t read the book, you should – it’s much better than the movie. Just remember, Johnny is mine.

 ~Dana from Let's Book It
Blogging for just over a year
primary genre focus: I read and review almost anything but most of it is fiction
I firmly believe almost anything Mark Twain has said including:

 “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”

Being able to read and having books is a blessing we should all take advantage of.

Which sidekicks do you love? Feel free to create your own post and link up.  Don't want to create an entire post?  Tell me your favorites in the comments.  Thanks for stopping by for another week of Why I Love Wednesdays!!

If you want to play along, feel free to grab the image (there is a button on the right sidebar now) and link your post in the linky. Here goes.

LINKY INSTRUCTIONS:

When naming your link, please choose the name of your post. Mine would say "Why I Love...Rhett Butler."

Please link directly to your post and not your blog.

Please participate :)

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