The Chopped Cookbook Review

The Chopped Cookbook
Author: Food Network Kitchen
My rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:

From the hit show on the Food Network, this cookbook is about inspiring the everyday cook in the kitchen to create amazing dishes with what they have around them. Can you make something with potato chips, chicken, and marshmallows? You might say no, but I'm sure the contestants on Chopped can. This cookbook teaches you how to make food from whatever you've got in the kitchen.
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My thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading through this cookbook. I absolutely love Chopped on the Food Network because it's a cooking show that employs creativity and a crazy time limit to make a dish. It's fun to watch and I wish I could taste these crazy things the contestants make. But now, with this cookbook, I can make my own crazy dishes and taste them too.

This cookbook is very accommodating. It is organized into a few main sections and those sections include vegetarian and gluten-free options. There's nothing the average person can't make or eat. Also, it is very educational. It has some really neat tables and charts that explain why blank is used for blank, and it also has substitutions. I love a book that teaches me new things.

The layout of the cookbook is really great. It is organized and clean, so that I completely understand the  recipe and directions. My only criticism is that I wish every single dish came with a photo. Only a select few do have them. Sometimes my eyes are my mouth, and with a cookbook that wants you to prepare weird dishes, I need to see it before I dive in and make it. I understand that it would be a huge cookbook with those added pages, but I'd be all for it.
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Would I recommend The Chopped Cookbook?

Yes, I would absolutely recommend this cookbook. If you love watching Chopped like I do, you will feel like a contestant, but without the time limit....the judges....the whole national television thing. Okay, it's not really like Chopped, but you get to make delicious things from weird ingredients. And that's a boatload of fun! I would recommend this cookbook to anyone who loves cooking, loves a challenge, and especially loves the show Chopped.
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Resources:

For more information about the cookbook, click here.

Information about the author can be found here.
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I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Vacation Video

Hello all!

I just went on a vacation to Door County, Wisconsin for my mom's 40th birthday! It was absolutely beautiful and I made a surprise video for her (and everyone else) to remember the trip!

I love photography, but I'm not the best at making videos, but I gave it a shot!

Check it out here or visit my YouTube page!

Thanks! :)

Link: http://youtu.be/Y1BUeAWkEmQ

William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back Review

William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back
Author: Ian Doescher (and William Shakespeare...kind of...not really)
My rating: 5/5 stars

Summary:

In this sequel, the classic Star Wars characters are on another epic journey in a galaxy far, far away. William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back is the exact plot of The Empire Strikes Back, the fifth (second made) Star Wars film.
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My thoughts:

Ian Doescher has done it again with William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back. This book is so witty and, just like the first book, William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope, it follows the story from the films perfectly. Since the fifth film has so many Shakespearean qualities - love, death, epic battles, mentors, a tragic hero's hubris (pride) and hamartia (flaw/downfall), etc. etc., this book fits extremely well (better than the first) in the Shakespearean style.

One aspect I enjoyed even better than the original film was Doescher's Lando. In this book, Lando has his own asides (or monologues) which lets us understand Lando's point of view better than in the film. His character in the film isn't as developed, so we don't see how he handles his emotions in betraying his friend and his dealings with the Empire. It's great to see this in Doescher's version because the book isn't just a Shakespearean replication of the film, it's also his own idea and story.
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Would I recommend William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back?

Yes, I would definitely recommend it. It reminds me of the films so much, but it puts a witty Shakespeare twist on the story. Also, the illustrations are amazing! I would recommend this book to Star Wars fans exclusively. With this book, it's better to have a knowledge of the Star Wars storyline and everything in order to appreciate this book. Though it is basically the same as the film, it just makes it much better being a Star Wars fan and being familiar with the storyline when reading it. However, I would also recommend this to readers of Shakespeare and humor.
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Resources:

For more information about the book, click here.

For information about the author, Ian Doescher, click here.

Also, don't forget to check out this awesome book trailer on YouTube.
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By the way, I had the privilege of meeting Ian Doescher at C2E2, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, this past Spring. He was very friendly and he even signed my copy!

This book is published by Quirk Books.

Love, Stargirl Review

Love, Stargirl Review
Author: Jerry Spinelli
My rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:

Love, Stargirl is the sequel/companion novel to Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. The sequel follows the life of Stargirl after leaving Arizona. It's one long letter that Stargirl writes to Leo about her almost everyday life and her new friends in Pennsylvania. While Stargirl reflects on her time with Leo, whom she still has conflicting feelings for, she also has a new life in Pennsylvania with new people that impact her life in ways even Stargirl couldn't imagine.

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My thoughts:

To begin, I didn't even know there was another Stargirl book. I thought the first book ended with enough closure, but also with enough of an open end for the reader to make his/her own decisions. But, alas, a sequel has been written and published, and I could not help but read it.

Love, Stargirl just didn't touch me the same way Stargirl did. It's great that the audience gets to experience Stargirl's thoughts and life from her perspective, which make her more realistic; however, it lacks the wonderment of the first book, which is what originally enticed me the most. And since there was a lack of magic and wonderment, not much else carried me through it besides already being attached to the familiar story and characters and wanting to see it through.

One aspect that sort of bothered me is Stargirl's choice of friends. She ends up with an eclectic group of friends by the end of the novel, which makes sense because she attracts all types of people since she's also very "out there." But, the fact that she is best friends with a six-year-old boggles me. I guess since she's so different from everyone else, that's normal for her, but everyone else is okay with their friendship. When I befriended a girl in my neighborhood who was only a few years younger than me, I was met with concern from others. Not that I was a bad influence, but I was warned that my being older wouldn't be best for someone who was in a different "age group" than me at the time. Note: to keep this already long paragraph short, my feelings about Betty Lou are that I admire her as a character, but am still surprised that Stargirl also befriends someone so much older than her. Besides that, she spends time with a guy that would piss me off far more easily than he does her, and a hot-tempered girl that would anger and annoy me to no end. But, I guess Stargirl being Stargirl can handle all of that.

Characters and lack of wonderment aside, I enjoyed the book as much as a not-so-necessary sequel can be enjoyed. I was happy to spend a little more time with Stargirl, Cinnamon, Archie (my favorite), and also a bit of Leo. All in all, I was pleased with Love, Stargirl.

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Would I recommend Love, Stargirl?

My complicated answer is maybe. Yes, read it if you really enjoyed Stargirl since it's a sequel to it. However, if Stargirl was just okay to you, then maybe don't read it. But it's a short read, so it wouldn't be a huge waste of time either way. For me, I enjoyed it and am glad I read it. Again, this is a YA/middle-schooler-aged book, but I still appreciated it and I'm nearly nineteen!

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Resources:

For more information, visit this sound-effect and color-filled website.

Please help me get to Buffer Festival!

Hello friends! I feel weird making a GoFundMe for something not charitable or something to help others, but here we are. I really want to go to Buffer Festival this year and I am trying to raise some money to help me get there. My goal is a big one, but I hope to start saving some of my own money to contribute. If you are a student or unemployed like me, please don't donate if you can't. If anything, please just share my link. Thank you so so much. And thank you all for checking out my blog. I'm just a girl who likes books (and other things) and sometimes wants to blog about them. I'm happy that even one person has checked it out.

Here's my GoFundMe link: http://www.gofundme.com/bujsjc

If you want to know what Buffer Festival is, check it out! It's a YouTube gathering in Toronto, Canada and it's awesome!

Dad is Fat Review

Dad is Fat
Author: Jim Gaffigan
My rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:

Jim Gaffigan, comedian by day, father of five (yes, five) by ALL THE TIME. Dad is Fat is a brilliant and hilarious novel about parenthood and dealing with the joys, chaos, and frustrations of being a parent....of five....in a two-bedroom apartment....in New York City. Just let that sink in for a bit.
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My thoughts:

Dad is Fat really surprised me. I heard the book was pretty funny and an easy read, so I gave it a go. I was definitely not let down. The book is very amusing, but what surprised me is that there are some good tips and lessons to be learned from Jim Gaffigan. It's not all funny business for this comedian....okay, it is, but he uses his comedy skills to deliver some pretty great content. Also, it has one of the best forewords I've ever read in a book.

I enjoyed reading about how Gaffigan balances being a comedian and being a family man. This is where I learned to steer clear of "family-friendly" things (read the book to find out why). He has always been labeled as such, but thinks that it's just a nice term for "annoying for adults." He is, however, a clean comedian, which I was happy to learn because it shows that his job isn't a way out of being a father. He incorporates his family in his job.

The format of this book contributed to its laid-back feeling. The chapters, or as Gaffigan writes, essays, are short and sweet, and usually involve a disaster, a lesson, and a whole lot of laughter. It's touching to learn about his huge family and all of the great stories he has to tell. They are all definitely book-worthy. Gaffigan often glides through the lesson or moral of each chapter/essay in order to deliver his comedic punch, but it still shines through each time.

The book may seem like a bunch of comedy sketches strung together, but it still feels like a story to me and he tells it so very well. And you know what lacks in most stories? Pictures. Hey, adult books (I'm not referring to the naughty kind) deserve some pictures every now and again. Dad is Fat includes many pictures of Gaffigan's family, which makes it much more personal and welcoming.
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Would I recommend Dad is Fat?

Yes, I would absolutely recommend it. It's a quick and amusing book that is delightful to read. It's also a mood-booster! If you enjoy non-fiction, comedians, humor, or books about parenting, then this is spot on.
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Resources:

To learn more about Dad is Fat (or to buy your own copy), click here.

For more information about Jim Gaffigan, click here.
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I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

A Little Friend

Hello all! I thought I'd share my other passion on my blog....photography!

Just the other day, this very little cutie was on my balcony and I couldn't resist capturing it on camera.
Maybe if you guys like this post, I'll share more photography. This is definitely not my best work, but I wanted to share these adorable pictures anyway.

By the way, I have a 500px page, where you can view my photography and perhaps buy a photo (whether it be a desktop picture or canvas framed or whatever). That would be amazing since I don't currently have a job; it would be like my own job, which would be amazing!

Thanks as always!

P.S. I don't know why the photos are all weird. In the preview window, they look normal. But if you click on them, they look just fine. Sorry.