Review: Cupcakery

Cupcakery: Party-Perfect Cupcakes in a Flash

About the book:
There is nothing quite like a row of pretty little cupcakes lined up in a bakery display case. Who can resist so many fun flavors and adorable sprinkles?
Now you can skip the trip and the cost of bakery-style cupcakes and learn how to make them right in your own home, starting from a cake mix! Anybody can follow these easy recipes and create these adorable designs. And with so many unique flavors, you’ll want to try them all.

• Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast
• Monster Cookie Dough
• Root Beer Float
• Chocolate Caramel Irish Cream
• Blue Velvet Coconut
• Mocha Peppermint Crunch

These delectable and delightfully adorable cupcakes look and taste so amazing your friends and family won t believe you made them yourself and from a mix!

About the author:
Toni’s sweet adventure began with her love for parties and creative knack. What started as a hobby of self-taught home cake baking and decorating quickly grew into a successful baking blog and a love for all things adorable sweet. Her work can be found on many websites and publications around the world, including Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Today, Yahoo!, and more.

Review: Dawn of the Trolls

About the book:
When Bilwok discovers the ancient record of his people, it changes everything he’s ever known about himself, his fellow trolls, and the world beyond his hidden home. Now he has to decide where his loyalties lie and how far he’ll go to find the truth. Discover the intriguing world of trolls in this fascinating fantasy that’s filled with twists and surprises!


About the author:
George Anthon Kibbie is a science fiction and fantasy writer. Known to friends and family as “Tony,” he grew up watching science fiction movies and reading voraciously, often staying up all night reading an entire novel. After each movie or book, he would dream about how to make it better. Eventually he stopped dreaming and began to write.  Current published novels include “Justice,” “Strength of Blood” and “Dawn of Creation.” Other work include being a columnist for Professional Safety, the trade journal for the American Society of Safety Engineers and a technical writer for the construction industry. He lives with his eternal companion Charlotte in Layton, Utah. You can learn more about Tony at www.tonykibbie.com.

From Reidhead Randomness:

This is a guest post from my 10 year old daughter.

I really loved Bilwok Dawn of the Trolls. It is a fast paced and exciting book. I liked the book because I like to read fantasy fiction books and this one tops my list of favorites. George Anthon Kibbie has written  an amazing story. 

 

It is  about two troll boys that were best friends until they turn on each other because Bilwok wants to learn. You read about how Bilwok and Wardoll's life and how they end up. 

 

It is fun filled and keeps you on edge throughout the entire book. I read the book in a day because I loved it so much. I am so glad and excited that there will be another book coming out. 

 

I received this book in order to write a review, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Healthy Family Slow cooker cookbook

About the book:
Feed your family the foods they love—with a healthy twist.
Everyone knows slow cookers are a busy mom’s best friend, but it can be a struggle to find healthy Crock Pot recipes your kids will actually eat. Not anymore.
These delicious family-sized meals are perfect for parents and kids alike.

• Chicken and Artichoke Fettucini
• Teriyaki Pulled Pork
• Cajun Rice with Shrimp
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Chicken Quesadillas

You’ll even find some tasty ideas for sugar-free desserts, like the Blueberry Pudding Cake. And every single recipe can be made in the morning and ready to eat by dinnertime. With a little prep and planning, you’ll soon be enjoying nutritious, healthy, home-cooked meals every night of the week!

About the author:
Christina Dymock is a graduate of the University of Utah. She has had careers as an editor at an advertising agency, an adjunct instructor at Salt Lake Community College, and author.
An avid cook, Christina divides her time between the kitchen, 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. Her latest book, Blue Christmas, reached the Amazon top seller list in 7 categories as part of the Christmas anthology, Christmas in Snow Valley.
Christina attends multiple writer’s conferences each year, is a part of several critique groups, and enjoys learning about writing. She has been featured during the cooking segment of several local morning shows, published in Woman’s World Magazine and the Deseret News, quoted in Womans’ World Magazine and Parents’ Magazine, published in seven Chicken Soup books, and has published clean romantic fiction under the name Lucy McConnell.

From Reidhead Randomness:

Sloppy Joes....or, as we nick named the recipe from this book, "Veggie Joes" are a wonderful summer kickoff food!  The recipe was, hands down, my family's FAVORITE!  There are SERIOUSLY SO many veggies that go into this, but you don't even notice that it isn't ALL meat!  It has a wonderful flavor and is healthy!

The book is great!  When I first flipped through, I marked a whole bunch of "to make" recipes!  Many are ones I have never seen before!  There was one for using up your leftover veggie tray and making it a soup...what a great idea, right?  Another on my "to make" soon recipe list is the Chicken quesadillas.  Who would have ever thought of making that in the slow cooker!  Another surprising one is Chocolate Chip cookie bars!

We had moo shu pork a couple nights ago.  It took a few bites before everyone in my family got used to the flavors, but then they added their approval of "Mmmmm!"

If you want more info, visit her blog at http://christinadymock.wordpress.com/

I received this book in order to write my review, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Review: The little girl and her shadow

About the book:
Having the cutest dresses, the best toys, and the softest bed isn’t enough to make this little girl happy. All she ever does is whine and complain. Finally, her shadow decides to teach her a lesson she’ll never forget! With a gentle reminder about the value of gratitude and friendship, this delightfully illustrated picture book will charm children and parents alike.


About the author:
O. K. Reade lives in New York City with his son. He is a mathematics teacher by day and a writer/cartoonist by night.

From Reidhead Randomness:

A message of appreciating all that you have, and being happy is the overall message of this WONDERFUL book!  I think most of us can relate to the grumpy little girl, once in a while.  This book will help remind everyone that there is more to life than 'the house as big as the earth,' and show us to be grateful for all that we have.  The whole book is written in rhyming verse which makes it fun to read.  A great message is shared, and when I read it to my 6 year old daughter, she commented that we should all be glad for what we had......and she also said that 'shadows can't run away from you.'

This is a great book to get your child (or you!) out of the grumpys!  We all loved it!

I received this book in order to write my review, however all opinions expressed are my own.

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Book Review: The charity chip

About the book:
Humanitarians unite to teach street kids like Julio how to manage their money and become self-sufficient—all through a chip implanted in their hands. But after he’s accepted into the program, Julio discovers its sinister objective has nothing to do with charity. To save his friends from a terrible fate, Julio must stop the program at all costs, even if it means his own death.


About the author:
Brock Booher grew up on a farm in rural Kentucky, the fourth of 10 children, where he learned to work hard, use his imagination, and believe in himself. He graduated from Brigham Young University and served in the US Air Force flying the A-10, and as an Instructor Pilot in the T-37. He is a commercial pilot for a major US carrier. In addition to technical writing for the USAF, his essays have been published in local newspapers, and in Kentucky Monthly. “Charity Chip” is his second novel. He resides in Gilbert, Arizona, with his wife and has six children.

From Reidhead Randomness:  
(Guest post by my 12 year old daughter)

The charity chip is a book that at first was a little slow but after a few chapters (like most books) it peaked my interest and kept me reading it.  I liked it a lot!  It was fast paced and thrilling a definite re-read!

The book kept me on edge! Teens and tweens (AND ADULTS) will love this book! Beautifully written! 

I've read many books that I would recommend to people, and this is on that list! 

Twist and turns with Julio, the main character, to get him and his brother off the streets of Lima, Peru.   

It is a clean suspense book and was a little intense!

******From Reidhead Randomness:  She gobbled up this book in about a day!  SHE LOVED IT!!!

They are also doing a charity auction. 

Here is link about the event - http://www.brockbooher.com/getting-creative-for-charity-june-26/

I received a copy of this book in order to write my review, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Could It Really Be This Easy?

About the book:
It’s easier than you think. Whether you’re trying to figure out which school to attend, who to date, or how to repent after making a mistake, following God’s plan for you isn’t that complicated. Fun to read and easy to understand, this book is perfect for teens, young adults, and anyone looking for direction from our loving Father in Heaven.


About the author:
Ted Peck has taught seminary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for over 10 years and has served as bishop of his home ward and a college campus singles ward, working with many young people. He’s watched his three children and thirteen grandchildren grow and face their own life choices. Being married to his childhood sweetheart for forty-three years has taught him things he never imagined he would learn, and today the two of them are serving as a Senior Missionary Couple for the Church.

From Reidhead Randomness:

I am a self proclaimed math geek!  I love, Love, LOVE math jokes and sayings....like  

√-1 2^3 E π

Therefore, when I opened the book, and saw MATH, my interest was piqued!  The subtitle of the book is "The Eternal Equations of Success for Teens".....Aha!  That is why the math is there!  The tops of each chapter page is sprinkled with fun diagrams or little math equations.  

As you dig into the meat of the book, its like a super fun Sunday School teacher sharing great gospel lessons.  Some of it is stuff you *should* know, some is stuff you might know but have forgotten, and some stuff might surprise you.  There are lots of interesting insights and examples shared that help you think through things a little differently than you might have in the past.  

It is written in an enjoyable and entertaining way that keeps you reading.  It is a valuable read for teenagers of all ages.....and parents!  It doesn't bog you down when reading.  It keeps it fun and easy reading.

One of my favorite things about the book is that at the end of each chapter is a section "Review of Important Points" which summarizes the chapter and gives you things to think about, and the things you should take away from that chapter.  

What a wonderful resource for teens, parents, teachers, and leaders!

Satan wants us to believe that life is too hard, when really it's amazingly simple!

I received a copy of this book in order to write my review, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Review: #Eternity

About the book:
Trying to find true love in a troubled world? With ten sacred principles as essential guides to dating and relationships, you will become truly able and eligible to wisely seek out and nurture lasting love. Perfect for teens, young adults, and newlyweds, this book will teach you to find and keep perfect love for eternity!


About the author:
Terry R. Baker was born in Ontario, Oregon, and completed degrees at the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. After teaching LDS seminary classes for three years he joined the Army and served as an LDS Army chaplain. He was deployed to Vietnam and while there became interested in why so many soldiers’ marriages ended in divorce. In hopes of finding answers to this question, he returned from the war and completed a PhD in Family Studies and Marriage and Family Counseling at BYU. He then taught LDS Institute classes in California, Texas and Utah. In 1995 he was assigned by the Church Educational System to re-write the curricula for the dating, courtship and marriage classes taught in institute classes world-wide. He finished this assignment in 2000, returned to teaching at the Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah and retired in 2010. This book presents lessons learned from over 40 years of research, teaching and counseling LDS youth and adults and soldiers about dating, courtship and marriage principles. It also represents many of the curricula ideas that could not be included in the current LDS institute manuals because of space limitations.
Terry met Parry Robinson in 1962 at the University of Utah where he had a scholarship to play football and basketball and Patty was a cheerleader. After a mission to Southern Australia Terry married Patty in 1965. They have eight children and an expanding posterity of 23 grandchildren as of 2014.

From Reidhead Randomness:

So many wonderful and insightful topics are covered in #Eternity.  Based on principles from The Family: A Proclamation to the World, inspirational and contemplative stories and examples are shared.  Most of the chapters begin with a section from the Proclamation.  

The first chapter covered is Faith.  A wonderful story about a surgeon is shared in which he kept being prompted while in surgery to do something against the typical protocol.  He tried resisting multiple times, but finally did as he felt prompted to do.  After the surgery, he found out that the patient had received a blessing that the surgeons hands would be guided.  The story leads into commentary about the many principles at work here.  First, the bishop's faith in giving the blessing.  Second, the woman's faith to be healed.  Third, the surgeon being in tune with the promptings of the spirit. Last, the Lord needed to agree that this was the right thing.  Without faith, things would have turned out different.  (In this same chapter, Alma 32 is shared in a different light....you will have to check it out!)  The 15 applications of faith in finding and keeping true love is covered for the last half of this chapter.  It concludes with some self-evaluation questions.

Practical applications of the prayer principle in finding and keeping true love is covered in the next chapter.  It is filled with great advice, examples and stories to motivate and encourage you.  One great take away from this chapter was that:  when looking for ways to influence your spouse's behavior, you should pray for them instead of using the common methods of nagging, threatening, crying, shouting, etc.  We should rely on God to help changes come.

The next few chapters cover Repentance, Forgiveness, Respect, and Understanding True Love...and how it relates to dating and marriage.  Following that, the Applying True Love Principles part 1 &2 give great advice and help for trials that will come to any marriage or relationship (negativity, Contempt, Defensiveness, Stonewall, etc.).  It is filled with scripture references along side the advice. 

Chapters Compassion, and Work are loaded with wonderful quotes by prophets and apostles!  Talking about the roll of parents and what the jobs entail.  The Wholesome recreational activities chapter talks about a need for balance.  A section for dating and courtship as well as married are followed by the appendix's. 

I think this book would be a great gift for young adults and newlyweds.  It is filled with lots of practical advice and the "Reality Check" that you need when you are dating, engaged, and recently married.

I received this book in order to write my review, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Book review: The song of my father

About the book:
“Good will come from this.” Chris had heard her father repeat those words countless times as a child. As she grew, her father’s faith and optimism inspired her through many difficult times. Despite losing her childhood home to a devastating fire and then later enduring years surgeries and convalescence, she learned to look for the good in everything. But then something so horrific happened, Chris was afraid her father’s song had stopped forever. This uplifting true story will inspire you to have hope, even on your darkest days.

About the author:
Chris Hall maintains she is one of the most unlikely authors you will ever meet, as it was never in any of her life plans to write a book. Her writing experience began without forethought or intention on her part.
It started on a summer day, while she working in her flower beds. A thought came clearly into her mind—then another, and another. Ideas started coming to her so frequently that she finally decided to keep a yellow legal pad and pencil with her wherever she went so that she no longer had to resort to writing on the back of the receipts in her purse. No one could have been more amazed than she when she realized she was actually writing a book.
Her first book, Conversations with a Moonflower, was published in March 2011.
Chris is never happier than when she and her husband are surrounded by their eight children and spouses and their thirty-two grandchildren. She lives in Utah with her husband, Duane.

From Reidhead Randomness:

As you begin the book, you are taken on an emotional journey through the authors experiences of her childhood and her fathers passing.  Many important lessons are shared as you continue through the pages of this endearing book.  Such tender moments reminded me of how precious life is and the importance of keeping records and journals to be able to read through memories and stories later in life. 

In one story from the book, the dad taught his family compassion by taking in and helping a homeless man.  It is a sweet story that could serve a great example to all of us.  After her fathers passing, there were many people that told stories of kindness that he had done for  them or others.  They had never heard the stories before, but weren't surprised because his motto was "If you do good for others and talk about it, it doesn't count."

A beautiful story about a bath robe is shared that teaches a good way to handle a terrible situation in the realm of parenting.  As you continue through the book, it is filled with inspiring stories that work to restore your faith in mankind, and inspire you to be a better person. 

I received a copy of the book in order to write a review.