Cats in Paris

                                                                Cats in Paris: A Magical Coloring Book.

 What a great adult coloring book. The cats are displayed throughout the book in cute, creative ways. I could sit for hours coloring in this sweet, cute book. The drawings are just beautiful. The details in the book are so beautiful and creative. Coloring books aren't just for kids anymore. This adult coloring book is great for stress relief, relaxation and just pure fun for anyone. I really didn't think I would enjoy these type of books. I did enjoy this book. I would recommend this book to everyone who needs to unwind and distress!

It Was Me All Along

                                                                                                     

I discovered this blogger a few years back when a friend sent me a link. We both marveled at her honesty and uncensored thoughts. The way she described her feelings and relationship with food was unlike any other I had seen before. I don't read her blog too often but I just love her personality and style and sense of compassion and grace. Her underlying message of her being the same person is vitally important. I wish more people saw it that way. My heart broke for the childhood Andie and the one who was still lost even after losing 135lbs. The middle of the book was a bit slow for me but I loved the end and how she tied everything together. One of the most notable takeaways was that the world is going to continue to spin on its axis whether or not I hate my body. I hope she does well and publishes more, because I will definitely read!

The Time Chanber Coloring Book

                                                                                            

I loved this adult coloring book! It's beautiful and enjoyable. You could easily spend hours just relaxing and coloring. The pages are full of beautiful artwork just waiting to be colored for enjoyment. I really enjoy the book, The Time Chamber by Daria Song . It's another wonderful coloring book with the designs of gears for clocks, detailed rooms, keys and so many other wonderful designs! I loved how relax it made me feel. Love, love, love this book!!!

*I received this book for my honest review*

Every Little Thing

                                                                                                 

Every Little Thing, by Payton Cosell Turner, is filled with intricate designs that adults will find both stimulating and satisfying. It is loaded with 80’s inspired drawings with kaleidoscope-like patterns of animals and nature. It’s like coloring wallpaper.

I’ve enjoyed coloring ever since I was a child. It’s a relaxing, creative, and fun pastime.

Now I don’t have to color princesses, animals, or larger-than-life characters. There are coloring books for adults!

Craftsmanship: The softbound book has a beautiful slipcover with a colorable cover beneath it. The pages are made from thick cardstock, which assures colors won’t bleed or show through to the backside of the page.

Suggestions: Using coloring pencils or gel pens are more practical than crayons, due to the intricate designs.

If you are creative and enjoy coloring and or pen and pencil crafts, you’ll enjoy this art book. I only wish there was less white space on the pages, giving more design to color! It's a little repetitive but very relaxing. I had a great time coloring and relaxing. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to relax and slow down a bit.


*I received this book for my review*

My Pantry

Loved this little cute book! Alice Waters presents her esoteric tastes combined with some common sense ideas. She argues the worth of her diet in terms of environmental responsibility, nutrition, and economy then goes on to make some foods that would likely have a limited appeal.
The recipes and text are both very straightforward- not at ALL fussy!- but complete, and all of them have exciting variations both in making them and in ways to serve them. Almost all of them can be done with minimal kitchen equipment, and they're designed for lasting- I think the shortest-lived ones would last maybe a week, refrigerated, but much last far longer.  I adore Alice Waters….this book is great for those starting out and foodies like myself. She gives a lot of tips on how to have homemade delicious things in and from your pantry. Only Alice Waters could make me read and enjoy a book about what's in her pantry.

*I received this book for my review*                  

2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas

                                                                                                  

As I was reading this book, it reminded me a bit of Love Actually. Not because of any similarities to the story lines of that movie, but more because of a sprawling cast of interconnected characters whose stories weave together around Christmas-time. Unfortunately, I feel like the massive cast works better on film, where you can put a face with a name. It took me half of the Cat's Pajamas just to keep the characters straight, and how they were all interconnected. Although the story takes place over the course of one day--Christmas Eve eve--several of the characters flash back to earlier times, which just adds to the confusion. For awhile, I wasn't even really sure who the story was supposed to be following. So many characters were introduced that it was hard to feel much of a connection to them. However, toward the end of the book it becomes clear who the main characters are and I became more invested in their stories. I found the ending satisfying, but didn't really feel like the magical realism elements added much to the story.                

The Homemade Kitchen

                                                                                             

 

What a great book! The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila is a classic cookbook. The recipes are pretty simple. The pictures in the book are beautiful! I love the whole layout of this book.

 

Start where you are. Feed yourself. Do your best, then let go. Be helpful. Do the work. Slow down. Eat outside. Invite people over. Don't be afraid of food. The author has these quotes on her refrigerator to remind herself of what food really means. She organizes this cookbook in the same way with recipes for each category/quote. There are a lot of really great cooking tips and some really yummy sounding recipes complete with beautiful pictures. I especially like that she encourages home cooks to try new things and not be afraid of failing or having a not-so-great result. I also like that this book promotes making most things from scratch and that it's usually MUCH easier than you think. Overall, I liked it and there are definitely some recipes I want to try.  

 

When I get a cookbook I like to bookmark the recipes I intend to make right away, and in this book there are plenty - but they're all relegated to the first 60% or so of the book. Weirdnesses aside, it's a 4-star book for me, a nice little beam of light in the kitchen. This book is a winner in my kitchen!

 

*I received this book for my review*