AimeKay Review: One Dirty Bowl by Christina Dymock

Cookbook
128 p.
Published: 6/10/14
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Source: From publisher for review

Quick desserts and even quicker clean up mean more time with your family and friends, and less time in the kitchen. With One Dirty Bowl, whip up show-stopping desserts like Hazelnut Puffs, Peanut Butter Truffle Bars, and White Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcakes,

Very Vanilla Brownies,Hazelnut Puffs, 3X Chocolate Cookies

From Christina Dymock, author of Young Chefs and The Hungry Family Slow Cooker Cookbook, this cookbook will impress your guests and satisfy any craving. And these quick, tasty desserts only dirty one bowl, which means more time with your family and friends at the table.

Fast desserts, faster cleanup—grab a bowl and get ready to bake!Quick desserts and even quicker clean up mean more time with your family and friends, and less time in the kitchen. With One Dirty Bowl, whip up show-stopping desserts like Hazelnut Puffs, Peanut Butter Truffle Bars, and White Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcakes, Very Vanilla Brownies,Hazelnut Puffs, 3X Chocolate Cookies

From Christina Dymock, author of Young Chefs and The Hungry Family Slow Cooker Cookbook, this cookbook will impress your guests and satisfy any craving. And these quick, tasty desserts only dirty one bowl, which means more time with your family and friends at the table.

Fast desserts, faster cleanup—grab a bowl and get ready to bake!

AimeeKay's Thoughts:

I really love One Dirty Bowl.

The author meant to provide recipes that are simple to make and require the use of the minimum amount of utensils. Which is especially great for dessert makers on the go during this crazy holiday season. Plus a lot of the finished desserts, like the various cookies, can be put in inexpensive decorated containers and used as gifts.

The author succeeded in keeping the recipes simple. You don't need to be a 5 star chef to pull them off. Also the recipes only need the bowl they are mixed in and the pan they are cooked in. With everything else that needs to be cooked at this time of year this is a definite bonus. But because of their simplicity a lot of these desserts can be made as regular treats all throughout the year. Some do require some time to set, cook, and so on. Be sure to check the times on the recipes so you don't feel rushed.

The only thing that I didn't like is that there aren't pictures of each item. There are pictures of most of them, just not all. However this is usually the case with cookbooks, and there are a lot more pictures than there would be in your average cookbook. So it's not too much of an issue. However I like to know what the food I'm cooking is supposed to look like. So while I will eventually try all of the recipes in the book, I will put off trying the ones without pictures, unless it's something like cookies, which I'm relatively sure of what they look like.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5. I think it's a great dessert book to pick up if you like sweets but don't like a lot of work. Or if you are looking for a great present for the cook in your life. As a bonus, if you give it as a gift, then you have the opportunity to not only give a great gift, but also enjoy any desserts that the cook decides to make! (This is especially true if you happen to live with said cook!)

AimeeKay Review: Glorious Layered Desserts by Glory Albin

Cookbook
139 p.
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Published: 3/11/14
Source: from publisher for review

These desserts are not to be 'trifled' with! Dessert genius and popular blogger Glory Albin shows how to combine delicious essential recipes into layered masterpieces. You'll love the Summer Berry Trifle, Pumpkin Mousse Parfait, Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake and each of the 60+ delicious recipes and ideas! In addition to her creative desserts, Glory also shares her unique tips and tricks, the best equipment and ingredients to use, and dozens of time-saving options. Whether you need a quick and easy recipe or an impressive dessert for a special occasion, Glorious Layered Desserts has the perfect treat for you!

AimeeKay's Thoughts:

I have to say there were things I loved about Glorious Layered Desserts, but there were also things that I didn't.

So let's start with the things I liked:

This book is a gorgeous hardback book. The pictures are also beautiful. Plus each recipe has its own picture, which I really loved since this isn't always the case with cookbooks. So you know what each desert is supposed to look like.

I also liked that the recipes gave you substitutions that you could use. For example you could swap out homemade fruit sauces for canned pie filling. While you can usually do this with most recipes, they don't always say so in other cookbooks. It's nice to know that you can without risking ruining a recipe.

Things that I wasn't so keen on:

Quite a few of the recipes require you to use other recipes from the book, such as the homemade fruit sauce. While you can substitute canned pie filling, if you want to follow the recipe exactly from the book it can be a pain to have to use two separate recipes for a dessert.

Also to make the recipes look as beautiful as they do in the pictures you need to make sure you have the special classes or jars that are used in the book. While the book does show you where you can find them it is one more thing you need to purchase if you don't already own them. Which can make these desserts into a real project or worse, if you're not prepared ahead of time.

Despite the things I didn't like about the book, the things I did like far outweighed them. As the holidays are soon to be upon us, I definitely plan on adding some of these beautiful desserts to the menu. Yes, they will require some extra work. Yes, I'll also have to purchase the glassware. But the gorgeous desserts will be worth it. I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 stars. 

 

AimeeKay: Readers for Rett Awareness

***Thank you so much for letting us take over your blog today for Readers for Rett's Awareness! Before we get started, to all your wonderful readers. Our Event, Readers for Rett's Awareness, is being held on Facebook here. We have three wonderful girls and their families who were able to take the time out of their crazy schedules to let us take a peek into their lives. We also have some wonderful sponsors who have donated awesome prizes for each of the girls to give away AND a grand prize. The contests will be open until Sunday, October 6th at midnight, so please feel free to come join us! Meet the girls, learn about Retts, and have some fun at the same time!***

Hi! My name's Aimee.  My friend, Rae, and I wanted to help spread awareness about Rett's Syndrome and introduce people to girls and their families who live with it every day. (To find out more about Rett's Syndrome click here and check out our event.) Please also understand that because of the debilitating effects of Retts the girls are unable to answer directly for themselves. So their family has been kind enough to answer for them. 

I'd like to introduce Gabby and her family!

Crystal what is Gabby's favorite movie? 

She likes brave But lately has been watching Charlettes Web a lot!

Who is Gabby's favorite Disney Princess? Mine is Aurora from sleeping beauty!

Merida from Brave, of course!

What is a typical day like for your family and Gabby?

I wake up at 5:30 and talk to the nurse about what happened overnight. Now I take our new puppy outside too! I then get Toms lunch ready, feed Caroline (The new puppy!), and get the nurse off at 6am. Tom leaves. Meadow, one of Gabby's older sisters wakes up and gets ready for school. I get Meadows medications ready for her. Mead leaves for school. At 7:45 I start to get Gabby's first set of medications ready. They are due at 8am. The nurse for day shift comes in. Gabby gets meds or something at:

 9 am

10 am

11 am

12:30

2 pm

3:30 pm

5 pm

6:30 pm

8 pm

9 pm 

10 pm

11 pm 

Midnight

1 am

2 am

3 am

4 am

5 am

and

6 am

And those are just regular meds or water flushes. Then she gets her inhaler, which is given through an extension in the hose of her CPAP machine and her vest treatment. Sometimes she doesn't always tolerate it all at one time and we break it up. She gets a total of an hour a day. Sometimes we end up doing ten minutes an hour. Then she gets the coughalator treatment, and, if necessary, after each time the vest is used. She hates this. Then the suction machine. Every 4 hours her formula needs to be refilled. Once a day it is mixed. The formula is very exact. It's mixed down to the milliliter. The bag that holds it is changed every day. It's rinsed out 12 hours after being opened. Her tube is flushed twice a day. The extension as well.

Then at 4 the day nurse leaves and some days the CNA comes in, some days not.  Then homework, dinner, dishes, normal stuff. After the overnight nurse comes in at 10, I set things up for the following day. 7 syringes of medications. I set them up the night before because all of Gabbys meds are pills. Most kids with feeding tubes use liquid medicine but she can't because of the specialized diet she is on. The Ketogentic formula is low sugar and low carbs. Liquid forms of medicine have lots of both sugar and carbs. So since the pills need time to dissolve, that's why I set everything up the night before.

Now that's just the routine stuff.

Then there are the times when Gabby's pulse ox goes off continually for HOURS. Someone has to be at her bedside stimulating her, patting or rubbing her chest or her back constantly. If you stop, she drops even more. It is horrible to watch. For those that don't know, the best rate you can have is 100. Docs usually get concerned if you drop under 90 for a few seconds. Gabby has dropped to 1, then we lost signal and had to use an Ambu bag to bring her back up. It was for a total of almost 5 minutes. Two weekends ago she dropped to 3. Yesterday it was 16. These are numbers that aren't supposed to happen. Some of her nurses have never seen seen them. Some actually don't even believe that she does it, at least until she does do it. Oh and then I also have to mention her seizures. Which she has everyday. She takes three different seizure meds twice a day, plus the keto diet. And a rescue med, another medication that could be considered somewhat for that.

Gabby is not only home bound but bed bound. Since June she has been home under hospice care. She also has a DNR. We just went on Gabbys Make A Wish trip. To Disney!!! It was wonderful. But, I fear it may be the last she leaves the house. She has struggled a lot since coming home. She has seizures almost daily. She would not have even come home from the hospital if not for the CPAP machine and oxygen. And I, nor does anyone else know how much longer those will help.

We keep her as calm as we can. We spend as much time as we can with her.

You just got a dog! What kind of dog is it? What's its name?

Caroline is a poodle mix (I don't know what's she's mixed with). She's a year old (Sept 25, 2013) she's all black. She's been great so far!

If there was one thing that you really wish you could tell people about Gabby or about your family and how Rett's effects it, or just about your family in general what would it be? 

Gabby understands! Everything! She may not speak with her mouth, but she knows. When you talk, she understands. Not to talk to her like she doesn't. Hell any kid, or adult for that matter, that is disabled shouldn't be talked down to or around like they aren't there. They get it. She is 11, not 1. If you look at her you would understand. 

 I know sometimes people are unsure of what it is ok to say or ask when they meet Gabby or other children with Rett's, or other disabilities in public. How would you prefer people to react? Is there anything you wish they would ask? or Wouldn't ask? 

I personally would rather people ask...ask anything. I will answer any question, anytime. I can't stand when people stare and then just walk away. I've gone up to people and handed them Gabbys purple card, waited for them to read it and then asked if they have any questions. Some do, some just walk away. Some people don't know how to ask, or what to ask. Just ask, that's how you learn. Gabbys sisters go up to other children and bring them to meet Gabby...they are truly wonderful sisters. 

You just got back from Disney for Make-A-Wish? What was Gabby's favorite part?

Disney was wonderful!!! Give Kids The World is simply amazing. I can't begin to put words to what trip meant to us. Universal. The minions. She loves them!!

Thank you so much Crystal and Gabby for answering all my questions and letting us get a look into your lives. To get to know more about Gabby and her family come stop by the event and say hi!

AimeeKay's Readers for Rett Event

My co-reviewer on the blog is a part of a event to bring awareness about a rare disease. Please check it out! Thanks! ~Melissa

Aimee from AimeeKay's Reviews and Randomness (and Books and Things) and Rae Z. Ryans are co-hosting an event together. Readers for Rett Awareness goal is to help spread the word about Rett's Syndrome and introduce the families and girls suffering from this awful disease. (If you want to find out more about Rett's itself, please feel free to follow this link, and see what it's about. To actually meet a sufferer of Rett's Syndrome click here.)

Details of the event:

Readers for Rett is currently seeking authors, bloggers, Rett families, and small businesses to help us spread the word about Rett Syndrome. We are looking for people interested in opportunities to host families on their blogs and allow them to tell their stories to your readers, hold interviews on their blogs, and spread the word about this disease affecting families and their daughters. We would also like to pair up Rett's families/girls with sponsors who will offer giveaways to event attendees on their behalf. Bookish related items are best, but anything from gift cards to trinkets is appreciated*.

What is Rett Syndrome?

QUICK FACTS:

—Debilitating neurological (movement) disorder that predominantly affects females. (Boys generally die from it because of the genetics involved) —Baby girls are born "normal" but begin to lose acquired skills between the ages of 1-3 years old. —Caused by a single gene mutation that leads to underproduction of an important brain protein. —The leading genetic cause of severe impairment in girls - most cannot speak, walk or use their hands. —Despite their physical disabilities, girls with Rett Syndrome are believed to be functioning mentally at a much higher level than previously thought. —As prevalent as Cystic Fibrosis, ALS and Huntington's. —Another little girl is born with Rett Syndrome every 90 minutes. —Rett Syndrome is a potentially REVERSIBLE disorder. Research has proven once protein levels are back to normal levels, symptoms subside.

The awareness party will be held on Facebook, so yes, you will need a Facebook account to participate as a sponsor for the event. However, if you don't have one, but still wish to help spread the word, we can work with that too. Time and date: We plan to start the event October 3rd @ 10 a.m. CDT. However the length is still up in the air until we find out exactly how many sponsors and families we have to work with. We are planning it for October as that is National Rett Awareness Month. *Sponsors donating prizes will be responsible for shipping costs. If you are interested in learning more, participating, or helping Readers for Rett spread the word please click on the link or fill out the form below. Readers For Rett's Event Form if the below form doesn't display

We also have buttons to share if you want to set up your own post to help promote this event or show your support for the Rett Awareness cause. Please email us a link to your post once it is live, if you do so; we can give thanks at the event to all who have helped in any way. If you do have a Facebook account/page, please consider changing your profile and header (free images below) in October to help spread the word. Right-Click and save as for Facebook use or feel free to swipe the code for web based use.

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AimeeKay Review: Shadows of Asphodel by Karen Kincy

Series: Shadows of Asphodel #1
350 p.
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 9/13/13
Source: From author for review

She never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer. 

1913. Austria-Hungary. Ardis knows better than to save a man on the battlefield. Even if he manages to be a charming bastard while bleeding out in the snow. She hasn't survived this long as a mercenary without some common sense. 

When she rescues Wendel, it isn't because he's devilishly handsome, but because he's a necromancer. His touch can revive the dead, and Ardis worries he will return from the grave to hunt her down. Besides, a necromancer can be useful in this world on the brink of war. 

A gentleman of questionable morals, Wendel drops to one knee and pledges his undying loyalty to Ardis. She resists falling for him, no matter how hot the tension smolders between them. Especially when she discovers Wendel's scars run much deeper than his skin, and it might be too late to truly save him from himself.

AimeeKay's Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Shadows. The characters were fun and interesting, the story was intriguing and the world building was well done. However, there were a few points that bothered me. These points are the reason I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars instead of a full 5. However that missing star I really don't think should stop you from giving this first book in the series a chance.

Let's start with what I did like.

The characters.

I loved Ardis and Wendel! I know, they are the main characters, so obviously I'm going to hopefully like them right? But really I enjoyed everything about them. They are funny and addicting. I loved watching their verbal sparring. It was just plain fun. I also enjoyed the other characters as well. The supporting characters, like Konstantin, were interesting as well. I also really liked how all the characters just worked together and with the rest of the people in the world that Kincy has built. Sometimes in a novel a lot of the interactions between main characters and the rest of the characters in the world just seems stilted or padding, but the author really fit them in well. If anything at all, I wish that maybe I could have gotten to know some of the extra characters a bit more. But considering that this is the first book in the series, I'm gonna assume that I will get the chance in future installments.

I loved the story! I read A LOT of books and sometimes I find it easy to predict what is going to happen. Some things I did expect, but there were a few things that I didn't. Which was nice. For example, and I don't want to give anything away, but I did think one thing was going to happen in the romance department and it soooo didn't. It was a REALLY nice surprise. I'm not going to say what, like I said I don't want to spoil the story and the romance is a big part of it. I also really liked that while it is a romance, it isn't JUST a romance. There is lots of other stuff going on. There's action, adventure, mystery.

The world! I like the alternate history that Kincy has created. Interesting to see a world that doesn't use guns not because it doesn't have them, but because it can't anymore. I can't wait to see more of the world in the next books.

What I had issues with. Ok. So maybe some of these are just me. And yes, I know that a few might seem a bit petty. But they bothered me. Just to get it out of the way let's start with the pettiest. The cover. I liked the cover when we first saw it, I still do. However I don't think that the description given of Ardis in the book, matches the woman on the cover in one main way. Her hair. In the book it says she has "tawny lion-colored hair". But on the cover the woman's hair is black. I know this shouldn't bother me so much. But in the book Ardis's appearance is important. Her mixed heritage is constantly something that people notice. Especially the contrast between her hair color and the shape of her eyes. I pictured her with the lighter hair. So seeing a character with an obviously different hair color on the cover, well, it just bugs me. Like I said it's the pettiest reason, which is why I just wanted to get it out of the way. I know, I know, don't judge a book by its cover, and if the cover difference was the only issue I wouldn't have taken the star, I would have mentioned it since the cover is one of the main things that attracted me to the book in the first place, but I wouldn't have taken a star.

Ok on to my other issues. There are two. There are some spoilers here, so I apologize, but these things really bugged me.

The first is the insta-love/lust between Ardis and Wendel. The first few chapters really pushes the fact that Wendel being a necromancer is considered one of the worst things possible in the world Kincy has created. There is even a point where Ardis refuses to help Wendel up simply because he is one and she doesn't want to touch him. Yet, then she turns around and is attracted to him. I'm not saying that as a character she can't grow and overcome a prejudice. I understand it's needed to move the romantic part of the storyline along, however it just seems to happen REALLY quickly. So sorry it bugged me.

The second is the ending. I have a love/hate thing going on with it so please forgive any spoilers as I try to explain my view. Ok. Loved it because I love Ardis and Wendel. Things happen at the end to them and I'm glad they did. I also understand that the reason it ends the way it does is because it is the first book in a series. Honestly I think it is left in such a way to set it up for another book to happen. However. The ending just seemed rushed. After everything that had happened so far everything that happened at the end was just squished into the final pages. Again, personal opinion.

There those are my reasons good and bad for giving Shadows 4 out of 5 stars. I think overall it is a solid book. The ending prevents it from being a completely stand alone novel, too many strings left hanging and all that. But the characters are fun and the story is just great. I would definitely recommend this one. I will put in a disclaimer that this book isn't for kiddies though. Only recommending to 18+. Reason? Sex scenes. Well written and fun sex scenes, but still sex scenes. So please don't buy it for your kids. But definitely buy it for yourself!

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Pieces of Love by P.J. Sharon

Tour Page and Schedule

Pieces of Love by PJ Sharon

Release Date: June 21, 2014
Page Count: 289
Age Recommendation: 13+

 Sixteen year-old Alexis Hartman wants nothing more than to play her guitar and get high, hoping to escape the pain of losing her sister. But when her second arrest for pot possession leads to her mother’s breakdown, Lexi is sent to stay with her grandmother for the summer. While embarking on a Mediterranean cruise hardly sounds like punishment, being forced to face her demons and falling for a guy she may never see again gives Lexi a chance to discover what it means to love someone—even when you have to let them go.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

  Author Bio: PJ Sharon is the award winning author of contemporary young adult novels, including PIECES of LOVE, HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and SAVAGE CINDERELLA, winner of the 2013 HOLT Medallion Award and the 2013 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. She is excitedly working on The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, a YA Dystopian trilogy. WANING MOON, Book One in the trilogy, was a finalist in both the 2013 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and a HOLT Medallion Award of Merit recipient. Book Two, Western Desert released in June of 2013. Watch for Book Three in the fall of 2014. Writing young adult fiction since 2007 and following her destiny to write romantic and hopeful stories for teens, PJ is a member of Romance Writers of America, CTRWA, and YARWA. She is mother to two grown sons and lives with her husband in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Google + | Pinterest | Linked-In | Book Trailers | Authorgraph | Newsletter 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AimeeKay Review:

I have to say that I'm not a fan of contemporary YA, especially with romance thrown in. But I fell in love with Pieces of Love. Probably because it's about love, but not just romantic love. The story doesn't just revolve around Lexi and Ethan. Yes, their romance is an important part of the story, but so is the love that Lexi has for her family, as well as the love she learns to have for life and for herself. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely some insta-love going on between them, but it's not that love at first sight that has no explanation. The author really gets it right, the way teenagers can fall hard and fast for each other, I know I've been there. She also uses Lexis grandma to call her characters out on it. I do, however, think she gives Lexi and Ethan a lot more self control than normal teenagers. Again, I was a teenager once too! LOL

I also really got attached to the characters. Lexi is heartbreaking at the beginning of the story, but she really grows up as the story progresses. She's not perfect and even by the end she still isn't, but the author wrote her in such a way that I just wanted to take her out of the book and hold her and tell her it's ok to be human. Ethan is almost too good to be true. He has way more self control than most young men his age, but he's also very sweet, so I can't hold it against him. He's just the perfect guy for Lexi. I also love Maddie. She gives Lexi just the right kind of tough love that she needs, while at the same time showing her the perspective on life that age brings.

This is a great book for teens and adults. Teens can relate to Lexi and the struggles she is going through. While adults can appreciate the wisdom that Maddie has to share. I wasn't expecting the ending, but I will say that it was nice to have a book with a solid ending that while it didn't make everything perfect it made it happy and real. If you're looking for a great feel good beach read definitely pick this one up. If you have someone you know who could benefit from some positive reading this will work too. While there are some hot and heavy parts, and some adult storylines, there isn't anything overly graphic. I'd definitely encourage my teens to read it. Maybe it could get across some life lessons I've been trying to share with them. This book definitely gets 5 out of 5 stars from me.

 Giveaway:

Beach Bag & Swag (US)

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AimeeKay Review: Alice Close Your Eyes by Averil Dean

Standalone
288p.
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

With haunting prose and deft psychological insight, Averil Dean spins a chilling story that explores the dark corners of obsession–love, pain and revenge. 

Ten years ago, someone ruined Alice Croft's life. Now she has a chance to right that wrong–and she thinks she's found the perfect man to carry out her plan. After watching him for weeks, she breaks into Jack Calabrese's house to collect the evidence that will confirm her hopes. When Jack comes home unexpectedly, Alice hides in the closet, fearing for her life. But upon finding her, Jack is strangely calm, solicitous . . . and intrigued. 

That night is the start of a dark and intense attraction, and soon Alice finds herself drawn into a labyrinth of terrifying surrender to a man who is more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. As their relationship spirals toward a breaking point, Alice begins to see just how deep Jack's secrets run–and how deadly they could be.

AimeeKay's Thoughts:

Alice Close Your Eyes is a mystery, but at the same time it is an in depth look into two very broken people and the twisted relationship that they create between them.

I had a hard time getting close to any of the characters. The book is told from Alice's point of view, which did help me get to know her better. But the more I got to know her the more I just felt like pulling away. I don't know. Maybe it was her penchant for self abuse, or getting others to abuse her. It's not that I didn't understand her, I just didn't like her. The only character I liked at all, was Alice's child hood friend Molly. She was entertaining in her own way. Maybe because she saw more of Alice then Alice did, even though she was blind.

The story itself is interesting. If anything, the story kept me pulled in when the characters made me want to put the book down. There are some intriguing turns as the book progresses and the ending was expected, but at the same time unexpected. I'm not going into detail because I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

The book overall is dark and twisting. There are moments of violence, inflicted by both the characters on each other as well as on themselves. I wouldn't recommend Alice to anyone under 18. There are some very adult issues portrayed. I'm giving it 3 out of 3 stars. I think I would have liked the story more if I could have liked the characters more. Maybe it's just me. If you've already read Alice Close Your Eyes I'd love to know what you think.

'Til next time!

Blog Tour/ AimeeKay Review: See You In Hell by Demelza Carlton

Tour Page & Schedule

 

See You in Hell (Mel Goes to Hell) by Demelza Carlton

 Book Description:
 Hate your job? Try working in HELL! Melody Angel takes a job as a temp at the HELL Corporation. Surrounded by eternal bureaucracy gone mad, demons who love making life miserable, and dying for a decent coffee, it may take a miracle for Mel's mission to succeed. She must find out what evil plans the Lord of Lies has up his sleeve and stop him, using any means necessary. Lucifer and his minions are out to take over the world, but there's more than money at stake when the Devil drives.

Adding trouble and temptation to Mel's job is Luce Iblis, the damnably hot CEO, who has set his smouldering eyes on the new office angel and is determined to claim her, body and soul. Can ultimate evil and angelic perfection escape a limbo of desire and find a paradise of their own?

Goodreads  | Amazon

AimeeKay's Review:

Oh my God! See You in Hell is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. I think it's an amazing beginning to what looks to be an awesome series.

Let's start with the characters. While the story is told from Melody Angel's point of view, the author did a great job of brining all the other characters to life. So much so that I got quite attached to a few of them and I really hope they make an appearance in the next book. I also loved watching the interactions between Mel and her coworkers. Especially how the demons reacted to some of Mel's less angelic features. For example: Did you know angels have sex??? Apparently demons didn't know that either. Mel herself is really sweet too. But not in an overly sappy way. She's just a nice person...er angel. At the same time she's smart and confident and it was great fun watching her maneuver through HELLs corporate environment.

As for the story itself. I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of See You in Hell. Basically the minions of hell are running a corporation on earth that has been handling the privatization of multiple aspects of government; health care, environment, prisons etc. It's the job of Mel and her fellow angels to make sure that HELL doesn't take over earth. I think the best part of all of it is how the author kept me laughing on every page. Whether it was a simple one liner or a complex tale of alien rock lobsters, I just could not stop laughing. I have not read a book this funny in a really long time.

I definitely recommend picking this one up for the summer. The only suggestion I have is to pick up the novella prequel, Welcome to Hell. Not reading it won't detract from your enjoyment of See You in Hell, but last I checked it's still free on Amazon and so worth the added enjoyment. As for me I'm definitely giving See You in Hell 5 stars and I can't wait to see where Mel's next job takes her!

Author Bio:

Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish. She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.

Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world. The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by her suspense thriller Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.

Connect with the author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | YouTube | Amazon | Pinterest | Google +

 

 Giveaway:

$20 Gift Card (INT)

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Aimeekay review: The Hungry Family Slow Cooker Cookbook by Christina Dymock

Cookbook
159p.
Available Now
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Source: From publisher for review

It's every busy mother's dream-come-true: dinner that makes itself! With the help of your trusty slow cooker and these healthy, easy recipes, like Peppery Cilantro Salmon, Sausage Stew, and Dark Chocolate Mini Cakes, you can put dinner on the table even on the craziest of days. Don't let the whirlwind of life stop you from feeding your family the food they deserve -- delicious, home-cooked meals straight from your slow cooker.

AimeeKay's thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading and using The Hungry Family Slow Cooker. I loved the size and the pictures. I tried quite a few of the recipes in the book, and while I'm not sure if they look quite as good photographed as the food in the book they did come out quite tasty. I also liked the fact that the author took time in the beginning of the book to really explain the uses and types of slow cookers; from the reasons for using

Steak and Potatoes

one, the different types that are available, to how to care for them. She really took the time to walk a newbie through it. I have been using slow cookers for years, but I have to say that I really would have appreciated instructions like this in the beginning. lol.

I only had two problems with the book. One is the chapter on Seafood, Pork and Other good stuff. I really didn't like how the recipes were organized. Personal preference, but I would have preferred if it had been first one, then the next, then the next. Maybe all seafood, then the pork, then the other? But instead they were intermingled. Again, personal preference, nothing to lose a star over or anything.

The second problem I had was with some of the recipes. I tried to vary which ones I tried. I definitely plan on trying more. For the most part the recipes are very easy. They all took me less than 30 mins to prep. For someone capable of moving a bit faster that prep time would probably be even shorter. Anyway back to what bothered me. After all the effort the author went into to explain slow cookers in

Pork Tenderloin

the beginning of the book she kind of let the reader drift in the recipes. For some of them it would have been nice to know that different cuts of meat would have been ok to substitute for the ones stated in the recipe. For others, items are mentioned, that if it wasn't for Google, I wouldn't have known what they were. A great example of this is the roasted chicken recipe. The author says to place 3 ramekins in the cooker to help prevent the chicken from soaking in its own juices. In this day and age it took me less than a minute to pick up my phone and google ramekins and see what they were. Since I have cooking experience it took me about two minutes more to pull similar items out of my cupboard and use them instead. But I tell you if it had been ten years ago? Um yeah, I wouldn't have had a clue. Of course when I mentioned ramekins to my mother she knew exactly what they were without Google..... I'm just saying that without Google I would have had to wait to complete the recipe, something that isn't always possible when it comes to certain ingredients. I think that with all the effort that was put in at the beginning the author would have thought to go into more detail on the items used in the recipes.

Overall I think the book is awesome. I tried quite a few of the recipes and plan to try more. The recipes are generally easy to prep and get started and all of them that I tried turned out wonderfully.

The Hungry Family Slow Cooker Cookbook Blog Tour

It's every busy mother's dream-come-true: dinner that makes itself! With the help of your trusty slow cooker and these healthy, easy recipes, like Peppery Cilantro Salmon, Sausage Stew, and Dark Chocolate Mini Cakes, you can put dinner on the table even on the craziest of days. Don't let the whirlwind of life stop you from feeding your family the food they deserve -- delicious, home-cooked meals straight from your slow cooker.

Bio (from Amazon):

Christina Dymock was once at a dinner party where her husband was teasing her about the frosting-to-cupcake ratio on her dessert. The woman sitting across from them sniffed her delicate nose and said, "If my husband gave me a hard time about my frosting I'd quit baking. That'd show him." To which Christina's husband replied while pointing at his speechless wife, "Try to stop her!"

Christina divides her time between the kitchen and her computer and books and her family of six. (Naturally, the family gets the biggest share.) Because she reads everything, she also feels compelled to write in several genres.

Christina is the author of The Hungry Family, Young Chefs, 101 Things to Do with Popcorn, and the Widow's Mite.

Bloggy note:

Unfortunately, AimeeKay who is going to review this book, did not receive the book in time for the review, but I know she is excited to get started and even make some of the great things in the book for her family! So... check out this book in the meantime and her review will be coming!

AimeeKay Review: Moonsongs Series 3-5

~Book 3 - Dark Prelude~

Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of "monster hunter" and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. Unfortunately, a lot of on-the-job training is required to be a monster hunter, and unlike her computer repair business, this gig could literally kill her.

Dark Prelude finds the feisty protagonist, Jenny, searching for her best friend Marshal's missing father in the midst of a freak, West Texas winter storm. To survive the frigid night, she'll have to deal with a hated town rival, face a monstrous creature no Moonsong hunter has ever encountered before, and undo a mysterious curse. Can she keep everyone alive? If not, who will pay the ultimate price?

Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | iBooks |Goodreads

~Book 4: Dragon's Game~

Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of "monster hunter" and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. She has already faced a werewolf, witches, and a troll. But nothing could prepare her for her latest confrontation...

Dragon's Game, Moonsongs Book 4, finds Jenny out of her rural West Texas element, searching for an evil witch in an urban Houston nightclub. After attempting to help a handsome and mysterious stranger out of a jam, she finds herself on the run from a ruthless gang who are even more dangerous than they initially appear.

Forced into a twisted game of life and death, Jenny must navigate the complexity of a budding relationship, and somehow survive a night filled with unexpected horror and paranormal mystery.

Dragon's Game is approximately 14,000 words or 45 pages of humor, horror and paranormal mystery. It is the fourth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

Amazon  |   Barnes & Noble |  Goodreads

~Book 5- Vampire's Ball~

Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of "monster hunter" and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. Being a girl of action, she has found herself particularly capable when it comes to battling the werewolves, trolls, and other supernatural denizens lurking in the Texas night. Until now.

Vampire's Ball, Moonsongs book 5, finds Jenny and her best friend Marshal in their most harrowing adventure yet. Traveling by boat to an extravagant masquerade party located at a Galveston Island mansion, Jenny must parlay with an ancient vampire in order to secure the release of the dragon princes, Isis. The unexpected return of an old "friend" turns the evening into chaos, and leaves Jenny and company once again fighting for survival amidst a sea of supernatural foes.

Vampire's Ball is approximately 12,500 words of humor, horror and paranormal mystery. It is the fifth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

Amazon  |   Barnes & Noble |  Goodreads

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AimeeKay's Thoughts (condensed review for all 3!):

So I have to say I’m still lovin’ the Moonsongs series! While I’m still not sure about the covers, the writing is amazing! Each novelette is a fast paced episode in the adventures of Jenny and Marshal.

I love Jenny and Marshal. The characters work well together and even though the books are told from Jenny’s pov, I still feel just as attached to him as I am to her. They have an awesome friendship and watching them interact is just plain fun.

I also love the authors writing style. Wesley pulls you in and keeps the pages turning. Plus the author somehow stuffs a ton of story into only a few pages. In these three installments Jenny and Marshal’s friendship is put to the test, Jenny might actually have met her match in the relationship department, AND there are dragons! DRAGONS! To name some of the new creatures that Jenny and Marshal are introduced to in their quest to translate her grandfather’s book and fulfill her legacy.

None of these is really stand alone, so if you haven’t read the first two books in the series I definitely recommend picking them all up and diving in! They are like chips, you can’t eat just one!

While you are here don't forget to go to the intro page to the whole series. There is a giveaway at the end that is international! Some great g/c's are being given away!

Go HERE for the post.