Reviews – Page 16 – The Pajama Chef

Book Review: The Tutor’s Daughter

April 10, 2013April 9, 2013 Sarah

I have another book review to share with you today, courtesy of the blogging review program offered by Bethany House Publishers. This time I read The Tutor’s Daughter by Julie Klassen.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

Determined to help her father when his boarding school fails, Emma Smallwood accompanies him to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But soon after they arrive and begin teaching the two younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte at night, only to find the music room empty? And who begins sneaking into her bedchamber, leaving behind strange mementoes? When suspicious acts escalate, can Emma figure out which brother to blame and which to trust with her heart?

As usual, here’s my 5 point review:

I’m not normally into Regency-era novels, but Julie Klassen is my exception. She makes settings and characters come so alive that just because this time period isn’t my thing, I just don’t mind. Love that!
Though I am not a Regency-era fan, I did enjoy Emma’s character immensely. Her love of learning and literature, as well as devotion to her father and respect for her aunt is so admirable.
Speaking of Julie Klassen, one thing that I appreciate about her as a writer is that she gives the reader what they need to know, without revealing too much. Many Christian fiction books are incredibly predictable–even the ones with intrigue [read: almost every review posted on my blog]–so this is just refreshing. In this story, just when I thought I had figured out what was happening, there was an unexpected twist, and bam! back to square one in detective school for me. This happened several times, and in my opinion, that always makes for a better story.
Though this wasn’t a story told from two time periods, Emma’s history with the two older sons of the baronet definitely is important. I can’t tell you more than that–remember, unexpected twists?!? But seriously, Emma’s relationships with each of the four brothers is very different and has consequences as the story progresses.
All in all, this is a book that does not disappoint. It has a little of everything–romance, drama, mystery, intrigue–but not too much of anything so as to be overwhelming. It’s clean and wholesome, but not too ridiculous or overflowing with Christian fiction craziness. The book was obviously well written and researched to be true to 19th century England. I would certainly read it again and again, and hope you will too.

P.S. Here’s a link to the book trailer… check it out! 🙂

What are you reading lately?

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own. Thanks to Bethany House for the chance to read this great book!

Reviews

Book Review: A Change of Fortune

March 25, 2013March 24, 2013 Sarah

Happy Book Review Day! Okay, that’s not really a holiday but I have a fun book to review today–A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano. This is a title received from the blogging review program offered by Bethany House Publishers.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

Lady Eliza Sumner has lost everything—her father, her fiancé, her faith, and now her fortune. Masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner, governess-at-large, she’s on a mission to find the man who ran off with her inheritance and reclaim what’s rightfully hers.

When Eliza’s hapless attempts at her fortune’s recovery unexpectedly put her right in the path of New York society’s most eligible bachelor, Mr. Hamilton Beckett, sparks instantly begin to fly. But when their best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God may have had a better plan in mind all along.

As usual… my five point review! 🙂

First of all–Jen Turano is hilarious! The style of this book [and I don’t know if this is a legit writing category or not, but it’s the best reference I found online] is historical romantic comedy. I guess it’s a style because rom coms are a type of movies, so it only makes sense that they could be books too. Seriously though, the antics that Eliza and her friend Agatha get into as the mystery of the story progresses are absolutely laugh out loud hilarious. I loved this book! It was just so light and fun.
This book is set in 1880, and reading about this time period is so fun. I’ve never been to NYC, but love seeing the city’s growth of this time through the eyes of a feisty British woman. I can’t imagine the sheer amount of culture shock a woman of her stature would actually have gone through if this story was real!
The story’s point of view switches mainly between Eliza and Hamilton, and this makes for a good balance for the fast paced storyline. There is never much confusion over where you are and the knowledge that each character has at a moment in time is appropriate. I appreciate this attention to detail by the author.
Though this is a Christian novel, its tone is not at all preachy. It’s clean and there are themes of faith [especially, and predictably, Eliza exploring what faith in God is], but overall, it is a fun tale of intrigue, mystery, and romance. It’s definitely a Christian novel for those who are looking for it, but if you aren’t, I still think you’d appreciate it.
To sum it up, this was pretty much the perfect book for me. The last page of the book had one of those… if you like this book, you’ll also like… pages. Guess what the three books were? None other than Against the Tide, Unending Devotion, and Love in Disguise. Fitting, huh? 🙂 Perfect, I think. You can’t go wrong with this book! The next book in the series comes out in June. #cantwait

P.S. You can download a free novella written by Jen Turano online from Amazon here. Gentleman of Her Dreams is a companion novella to this book.

What are you reading lately?

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes, Reviews

Double Blueberry Walnut Muffins

March 2, 2013 Sarah

Ben and I are huge yogurt fans. Every week, without fail, our grocery cart contains at least 10 cartons of yogurt [one for each lunch of the work week plus a big tub or two for smoothies or eating at home]… some Greek, some regular, some fruity, some plain or vanilla… whatever I’m in the mood for or whatever is on sale. For awhile I was making my own yogurt in the crockpot, but then grad school began consuming my life too much and making yogurt plummeted on my priority list. There are just too many good storebought brands, right? I look forward to the yogurt in my lunch everyday…it’s my dessert of sorts.

Even though yogurt is something I love a ton, one thing that I don’t do enough of with it is baking! Yogurt is a great ingredient to bake with because it makes muffins and even cakes incredibly pillowy, light, and soft for a fraction of the fat and calories of butter or oil. The inclusion of Liberté Blueberry Greek Yogurt is the secret ingredient in these yummy Double Blueberry Walnut Muffins, and the reason [in my humble opinion] why they are so, so, so good… sweet, hardy, and soft. Perfect trifecta for muffins, I think!

If you’ve never tried Liberté Greek and Méditerranée yogurt before, you should definitely check it out. Ben and I had tried it once or twice before I received a BzzKit from BzzAgent, but after eating this yogurt in place of our normal brands for a week, I think I’m going to become a loyal Liberté fan! The Coconut Méditerranée is amazing! Here’s some info about the yogurt… then I’ll get back to the muffins!

Liberté is not just made. It is crafted, by hand, to be the absolute best. In true artisan fashion, Liberté Méditerranée yogurt is made using whole milk and cream to achieve a silky texture in seven different rich, deep flavors. The six flavors of Liberté Greek yogurt are hand nurtured using skim milk to create a smooth, creamy, protein-rich yogurt that’s perfectly balanced and (surprise!) fat free. Each Liberté variety is punctuated with real fruit to up the taste even more in these natural, indulgent treats.

Liberté is new to the US yogurt scene, but has a long history in Canada so I found a recipe for Raspberry Coconut Muffins on their website and modified it based on what I had on hand. I was so pleased with these muffins that they might become my basis for other yogurt muffins in the future! You can definitely modify this recipe based on the fruit, yogurt, and nuts of your choice. I usually don’t add nuts to muffins, but the toasted walnuts in these were excellent. When I baked them last Sunday afternoon, they made my whole kitchen smell absolutely divine, and then they stayed fresh all week long for a lunchbox addition. Yum-o! Can’t wait to make some more. Hope you enjoy! 🙂

Double Blueberry Walnut Muffins [adapted from Liberté]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 carton Liberté Blueberry Greek Yogurt [5.3 ounces]
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup blueberries [fresh or frozen]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts on a cookie sheet and toast in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn! Set aside to cool, then increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla. In a larger bowl, stir together flours, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened.

Chop cooled walnuts, then gently fold walnuts and blueberries into batter. Spoon into muffin cups, filling 2/3 of the way. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Time: 40 minutes.

Yield: 16 muffins.

Disclosure: I am a BzzAgent and received free coupons to try out Liberté. All opinons are my own. Thanks to BzzAgent and Liberté for a great experience!

Reviews

Book Review: Fearless

February 20, 2013February 17, 2013 Sarah

I received a e-book copy of Eric Blehm’s Fearless from the Blogging for Books program offered by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. First things first–this book was amazing! So inspiring. I read it in about two days.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

Fearless takes you deep into SEAL Team SIX, straight to the heart of one of its most legendary operators.

When Navy SEAL Adam Brown woke up on March 17, 2010, he didn’t know he would die that night in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan—but he was ready: In a letter to his children, not meant to be seen unless the worst happened, he wrote, “I’m not afraid of anything that might happen to me on this earth, because I know no matter what, nothing can take my spirit from me.”

Long before Adam Brown became a member of the elite SEAL Team SIX—the counterterrorism unit that took down Osama bin Laden—he was a fun-loving country boy from Hot Springs, Arkansas, whose greatest goal had been to wear his high school’s football jersey. An undersized daredevil, prone to jumping off roofs into trees and off bridges into lakes, Adam was a kid who broke his own bones but would never break a promise to his parents.

But after high school, Adam fell in with the wrong crowd, and his family watched as his appetite for risk dragged him into a downward spiral that eventually landed him in jail. Battling his inner demons on a last-chance road to redemption, Adam had one goal: to become the best of the best—a U.S. Navy SEAL.

An absorbing chronicle of heroism and humanity, Fearless presents an indelible portrait of a highly trained warrior who would enter a village with weapons in hand to hunt terrorists, only to come back the next day with an armload of shoes and meals for local children. It is a deeply personal, revealing glimpse inside the SEAL Team SIX brotherhood that also shows how these elite operators live out the rest of their lives, away from danger, as husbands, fathers, and friends.

Fearless is the story of a man of extremes, whose courage and determination was fueled by faith, family, and the love of a woman. It’s about a man who waged a war against his own worst impulses and persevered to reach the top tier of the U.S. military. Always the first to volunteer for the most dangerous assignments, Adam’s final act of bravery led to the ultimate sacrifice.

Adam Brown was a devoted man who was an unlikely hero but a true warrior, described by all who knew him as fearless.

I know that’s kind of long, but the last two paragraphs are the most important, in my opinion. As usual, here’s my five point review.

First, don’t dismiss this book if you’re not into military stories or don’t consider yourself super patriotic, or anything like that. Adam Brown’s story and his life does contain aspects of military life and patriotism, HOWEVER that is not the focus of this story. This story–and I hesitate to even use the word “story” because that almost trivializes this man’s life–is about how God transforms a life and then allows that life to impact many other people around him.
Fearless is highly motivational–motivation to get through your tough problems, like writing a thesis that is just hard or getting through a tough time at work or whatever monotony you deal with on a daily basis. Reading how Adam Brown worked through hardship, injuries, and tough times with a straight-up, deeply rooted belief that he could do this and this and this, no matter what “this” is because he had the strength of the Lord was just awesome. His ability to persevere is just amazing.
The gospel message and encouragement to keep on keeping on was so present in this book–but not in an annoying way. Some Christian memoirs can be annoying and fluffy in that way, but not Fearless. This story was real–swear words, sweat, and all. The coolest part was at the end where the author revealed he wasn’t a Christian but was more intrigued by faith and spiritual things after writing Brown’s story, getting to know his family, and immersing himself in Adam’s life just for a little bit. These are the kind of faith stories that need to be told. The well written, real faith stories that can have a gospel impact on people’s lives–even if they are coming from hard situations. [Go back and read the book description. Drugs, people! Extremes! Risk! This is real life.]
This book is a great reminder that life is short and life is precious and you should tell your family and friends that you love them, often. Because you never know what’s going to happen. So husband, and family, and friends, I love you.
Last, but not least, the inspiration of Adam Brown as a heroic member of the military who gave his life for this country was incredible. As I first pointed out, this isn’t just a book about the military or being patriotic–but those aspects of Adam Brown’s story are hard to miss. I personally do not know many people who are in the military. I know a handful who were or who are married to military professionals, but I don’t have day to day interaction with anyone in the military. I think that’s something needed in this country [a good dose of perspective], but that’s another subject for another day. This book is a good reminder of those who have given their lives [or even just their days or time with their families] for our freedom. Bottom line: this is a book worth reading. I wish I had a non-e-book copy to loan out… but in the meantime, be sure to check it out! I highly recommend it!

What are you reading lately?

Disclosure: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own. Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for the chance to read this great book!

One Tablespoon Testosterone, Reviews

Book Review: Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day

February 8, 2013February 6, 2013 Sarah

Today Ben has a book review for you! This is a title received from the blogging review program offered by Bethany House Publishers.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

What religions are represented in your neighborhood, your workplace, and your children’s school? Things seem to be changing every day, and it can be hard to keep up. You may know a little about some of these religions. Others are new to you. You’d like to learn about them and how they differ from your beliefs, but who has time to do all the research?

In Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day, cross-cultural expert and professor Garry Morgan explains the key beliefs, histories, and practices of more than twenty religions, including the familiar–Christianity, Judaism, Mormonism–and some of the lesser known–Baha’i, Sikhism, and New Age religions. Broken into forty short readings, each chapter is engaging and easy to understand. In just minutes a day you’ll soon have a better understanding of the world’s beliefs.

And here is Ben!

~ ~ ~

When Sarah initially asked me to select a book from a list, I naively assumed that she wanted me to pick one for her. Or possibly one for both of us to read together. As it turned out, I was selecting a book for myself to read and review. But when all was said and done, I’m glad I did read this book.

Having studied world religions as a specialization in college, I had some knowledge of a number of religions. Nevertheless, I found that Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day provides a plethora of information on numerous religions and worldviews in an easily digestible form. The book is divided into small chapters intended to be readable in about 15 minutes (most took me less than 10, though). Most chapters cover one religion, although the major world religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc.) each receive several chapters.

Author Garry Morgan states in his introduction that he is attempting to write about each religion with respect and without letting any personal bias interfere. I feel he succeeds tremendously in this respect. I found this to be very refreshing, as many Christian books about other religions devote themselves to explaining how those religions “get it wrong.” While I certainly don’t advocate the view that all religions and worldviews are equally valid and I do believe in objective truth, if all a Christian ever hears about another religion is oversimplified generalizations in a negative context, it becomes difficult to truly respect, care for, and relate to individuals who may practice that religion.

If I have any complaint about the book, it’s that I would have liked to see it organized a little bit better. While Morgan explains why some religions are grouped together, there didn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason as to the order of the religions discussed. It would also have been nice to see a list of books for further reading. But those are minor gripes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in getting an overview on many (or just a few) of the world’s religions.

What are you reading lately?