Bookventures Book Club is an open online book club. Any one can join. We welcome all genres of books however we do have a page limit of 500 pages. To spice things up, we also welcome movie adaptations of books. Feel free to join in on the discussions. You can find us at www.bookventuresbookclub.ning.com Visitors, if you would like a space to have your own discussions, feel free to join our network and create a group. Please be sure to keep your content related to reading or book discussions.

Back to the email received.  I had to read it twice.  I was asked to be a co-moderator of this established blog, especially during Author Chats.  Once again, I was totally amazed and also honored.  I have accepted the invitation.  I will be posting on this blog what is also going on Bookventures and hoping you will join in.  So if you can’t find me here, check all the sites (left sidebar) where you can find me.  And Lesley-Ann, thank you for the vote of confidence,  I promise not to let you down.

Congratulations to:
     #5    Vicki said… 5     I have your button under my “Buttons” link
     #9    Julie P said… 9  I already have your button on my sidebar

Emails have been sent to the winners and will have 48 hours to respond or another name will be drawn.

Stop back tomorrow for a New Giveaway!!!!

Muffins & Mayhem by Suzanne Beecher
Published by Touchstone A Division of Simon & Schuster
ISBN 978-1-4391-1287-8
At the request of Media Muscle, The Book Trib, a HC was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
  Synopsis (partially from book’s jacket): Suzanne has had her own share of troubles to over-come. Left home alone at an early age, she struggled with difficult and distant parents, dealt with heartbreak, became a hard working single mom, and overcame two substance addictions and a physical impairment. But along the way, she found comfort in baking and sharing food with her friend and family. She learned to take the good with the bad, and here life is now inspiring proof that faith and persistence are the keys to her success.
  My Thoughts and Opinion: Where do I begin because there are many aspects of this book. Ms. Beecher, an only child of working parents, she took on the role of cook, house cleaner and oversaw all household chores at the early age of eight (8). Her love of baking and her many recipes is how she remembers stages of her life. She shares those recipes in each chapter along with her sense of humor, insecurities and neuroses. I have not tried any recipes yet, but plan to after my recuperation period. Her writing style made me feel that she was talking to me over muffins and coffee. At times, I found myself laughing out loud, the next chapter, rooting for her and the next feeling her emotional pain and empathizing with her. A few tidbits of a look inside this book. Again, the recipes, which I will share one with you. How her mother taught her to put clothes into the freezer straight from the wash before drying and then she could iron them (had never heard of that one). How she battled a physical disability, through her faith and a friendship with a 92 year old woman, Amy, who taught her some tips in the kitchen. And my favorite chapters, entitled In -a-Pickle where she describes incidents that are so funny, I actually was laughing out loud. I loved this book. It wasn’t the usual type of book that I read but thoroughly enjoyed it. Another positive was all the recipes that she shares, this book is going on my shelf with my cook books. Ms. Beecher had me wishing I knew her and could share stories over coffee.

This recipe makes 5 crusts. The name says it all; you just can’t fail when you’re making this piecrust. If you’re a beginner, this is the recipe for you.
4 c. all purpose flour, lightly spooned into a cup
2 tsp salt
1/2 c. water
1 TB sugar
1 3/4 c. shortening (not lard or butter)
1 egg
1 TB apple cider vinegar
Mix all ingredients well and divide in 5 balls. Slightly flatten each like a giant hamburger, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold if using right away. Or you can freeze for later use (To freeze, wrap each one in wax paper and freeze in a freezer bag-you’ll always have a piecrust on hand. This dough won’t get tough if you re-roll it).

 

Bookventures Book Club is an open online book club. Any one can join. We welcome all genres of books however we do have a page limit of 500 pages. To spice things up, we also welcome movie adaptations of books. Feel free to join in on the discussions. You can find us at www.bookventuresbookclub.ning.com Visitors, if you would like a space to have your own discussions, feel free to join our network and create a group. Please be sure to keep your content related to reading or book discussions.

Back to the email received.  I had to read it twice.  I was asked to be a co-moderator of this established blog, especially during Author Chats.  Once again, I was totally amazed and also honored.  I have accepted the invitation.  I will be posting on this blog what is also going on Bookventures and hoping you will join in.  So if you can’t find me here, check all the sites (left sidebar) where you can find me.  And Lesley-Ann, thank you for the vote of confidence,  I promise not to let you down.

  Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!
  So, if you’d like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky on her site, and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let’s connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!
Pretty please – Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

Today’s Twist:
This week’s question: Tell us about some of your favorite authors and why they are your favorites!
  There are many authors that I try to read as many of their books that I can and a few would be:  James Patterson, Lisa Jackson and Karen Rose for well known authors.  The suspense grips you to the very last page.
  Since I have been reviewing, I have had the opportunity to read many debut authors and there are 2 that, I think, are right up there.  Their books are from different genres and from reading the reviews across the blogosphere, I am not the only one who thinks that they are worth watching.  First, since I mentioned authors in the suspense/mystery genre, would be Vincent Zandri author of Moonlight Falls and his newest one that I can’t wait to read, The Remains.  He is a blend of Patterson and Hitchcock.  Second, would be an author that I read and reviewed his debut back in Feb. and loved it.  A mixture of romance/suspense.  His writing style was such that you became so engrossed with the characters, their lives and transported to the setting in the plot.  All the makings for a great read.  He is Bill Walker, author of, A Note of An Old Acquaintance.  I found out yesterday, when visiting Bookventures Author’s Chat that he is in the process of writing a sequel..can’t wait. 

  Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!
  So, if you’d like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky on her site, and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let’s connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!
Pretty please – Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

Today’s Twist:
This week’s question: Tell us about some of your favorite authors and why they are your favorites!
  There are many authors that I try to read as many of their books that I can and a few would be:  James Patterson, Lisa Jackson and Karen Rose for well known authors.  The suspense grips you to the very last page.
  Since I have been reviewing, I have had the opportunity to read many debut authors and there are 2 that, I think, are right up there.  Their books are from different genres and from reading the reviews across the blogosphere, I am not the only one who thinks that they are worth watching.  First, since I mentioned authors in the suspense/mystery genre, would be Vincent Zandri author of Moonlight Falls and his newest one that I can’t wait to read, The Remains.  He is a blend of Patterson and Hitchcock.  Second, would be an author that I read and reviewed his debut back in Feb. and loved it.  A mixture of romance/suspense.  His writing style was such that you became so engrossed with the characters, their lives and transported to the setting in the plot.  All the makings for a great read.  He is Bill Walker, author of, A Note of An Old Acquaintance.  I found out yesterday, when visiting Bookventures Author’s Chat that he is in the process of writing a sequel..can’t wait.