Book review: interesting take on a memoir - stylized, good to read, but also "interesting"

So this book sets out to be a memoir - kind of. Which sounds strange and it does end up being certainly a unique book in terms of its approach to the concept of memoir. The story is that of the author starting with childhood, through adolescence and adulthood to present day. Along the way learn of his struggles with a father that is far from ideal. His teenage period is marked by issues with drugs and he finally comes to see the light and starts to practice religion. I usually do not use terms such as "see the light", but the author somewhat overenthusiastic describes in such glowing terms his finding Christian belief that I will actually use this term for once.

available on amazon.com

The book is not a memoir in the true sense because at times the author seems to embellish the story for dramatic effect. While for the most part the book reads like a true memoir and the author certainly has enough episodes to fill a book and an interesting life, the gray line between truth and fiction took some getting used to.

Overall, the book is vividly written. I really enjoyed reading it and so if you are simply looking for an entertaining book, this one is definitely for you. I enjoyed the story, the events described were interesting and the author certainly has a way with word. With the exception of in my opinion going somewhat overboard when it comes to the religious tones, this is definitely a well written book.

Disclaimer: I received a free book through booksneeze.com for review. The opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.

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Subscription box review: Goodies Box for August 2013

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Goodies box August 2013

 Yesterday I received my Goodies Co. box for August and this month I am really missing the beverage. It is summer outside and warm and I was looking forward to a quirky, new, innovative beverage. But instead I got a full-size cookie mix, which is fine and I will use it. I also got a lot of small samples that really are too small to share. The nice thing about the beverage samples in the other boxes was the fact that they were large enough to share and usually a couple of other samples were substantial enough to allow for two adults to share a small snack.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - a lot of small samples included in this box

The samples were a good variety, covering the range from popcorn to brownies to fruit gummies. A couple of samples were somewhat disappointing. The Tangy Zangy fruit gums were advertised on the bag as sour wild berry, but to me they were neither sour nor really tasted like wild berry. So that was clearly a let down and I definitely am relieved that no larger sample was included for them.
Another disappointing sample were the Poplets. Not really sure what they were supposed to have as texture, but to me they tasted like the unpopped kernels left in the bag of microwave popcorn. Definitely will not be buying these ever again, no matter how much my dentist would like me since he needs money to put his three sons through college - j/k, he is happier to see people with good teeth that just need two check ups a year and are done than people that need fillings or other treatments.
The Motts I have had before and they are okay. I am not so much into the overall fairly bland flavor they have. The Fiber One and Nature Valley samples were quite good, especially the Nature Valley sample was yummy. One recommendation for Goodies, it is summer in most of the country and shipping chocolate covered anything is not the best idea, unless someone is home to pick up items from the post office. The Nature Valley Thin was covered in chocolate that had melted and was stuck to the wrapper. This happened despite me being home to get the mail. But the mailman is driving around in a car that is warm and can melt chocolate.
This weekend I will bake the Hershey cookies because I need some items for dessert and will also sample the coffee drink - supposedly just added to hot or cold water to get coffee. This sample I am looking forward to since I do not like instant coffee as powder because it tends to be too sweet and does not always dissolve properly. So a liquid "concentrate" to make a cup of coffee sounds like a good solution to my instant coffee hatred.
Please keep in mind that Goodies Co is affiliated with Walmart and so if you have strong feelings about Walmart either way that may affect your judgment of Goodies. I still like Goodies because they do include new items on my meal plan with their monthly box and for $7 the price is not that high. I see my Goodies subscription box  as my monthly treat instead of a mani or pedi, but with benefits for everyone in my household since we can always share something - such as the cookies this month. And when you consider that the cookie mix sells for about $5 a box on amazon.com, then $2 for the remaining samples and shipping is not bad. I just wish they had included another beverage since I really like to sample new sodas or juices without the risk of having to buy a 6-pack at the store.

Disclaimer: I received this box for a nominal fee of $7 in exchange for providing online reviews of the products included. The opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by Goodies Co or any third party.

Book Review: The Wild Princess by Mary Hart Perry

Some day my prince will come is the dream of every young girl. But only the daughter of a queen can really hope to marry a prince. So it is all the more disheartening when the book about the wild princess, Louise, starts off with a major disappointment for this young woman, who had such high hopes of marriage and tried her best to make her new husband as good a wife as possible. 

What starts off as a definite disappointment may actually turn out to be a win for Louise. Because with the marriage not living up to expectations, Louise is seeking fulfillment in other places. She preserves her independent streak by not conforming to the stereotype of the demure wife and thinking for herself, which makes her definitely wild and impossibly to control by the standards of the Victorian Age. Along the way she meets Stephen, a secret agent from the USA that was ordered to England to protect the Queen’s family against murder plots originating by individuals seeking independence for Ireland. 

This encounter gives rise to the two major plotlines of the book. One plot is the romance between Louise and Stephen that, as one can imagine, can never be in the open and takes them to places throughout Europe. The second story is the threat to the Queen and her family by Irish separatists. The balance between these plots prevents "The Wild Princess" from becoming a simple love story between a royal and a commoner and also generates enough romantic interest to prevent the book from becoming a simple historical novel about the Irish Separatist movement. I really enjoyed the balance between the plots because it causes the tempo to just sufficiently alternate between romantic slow pace and historical adventure speed to keep the readers on their toes. 

The ending is quite predictable, but along the lines there are enough surprises and thrills to keep the reader engaged and entertained. I did not want to give the book five stars because I could guess some of the twists and turns, but other than that minor issue, the book is an excellent read. Ms. Perry understands to draw complex characters and generate complex plot lines that remain clear and concisely organized, never turning confusing or leaving the reader wondering. I like the vivid description of the Victorian Age and its expectations of the perfect woman and wife. While Louise may have been considered wild by many, her independence streak is still in line with Victorian mores and this main character is drawn in a way that is still behaved enough to make her behavior plausible for a strong-willed woman of that time.

Book Review: The Way Home by Katherine Spencer

This book is about new beginnings and redemption, but also about the good in people, even if you do not expect it from them. Angel Island is a sleepy tourist destination that serves as the setting of this novel. This book has two interwoven stories that present to the reader the basic message that people are good and sometimes you just have to trust that everything will turn out right in the end. 

One story describes how Avery Bishop, fresh off a big relationship and professional disappointment, seeks a new start on the island. She hopes to finally run the restaurant of her dreams and succeed at it, without having to compromise and see her dreams turn into disaster yet again. She stays at the house of Claire North, who runs an inn that she rents out during the tourist season. And while Claire’s life seems to have a quiet and regular flow, a visitor to the island creates turmoil that Claire could do without. But the visitor also holds the promise of closure that Claire has missed for a long time. 

So as Avery goes through the opening day jitters, prepping her staff, dealing with last minute preparations to get the restaurant ready for guests, she also has a visitor. But not from the past; her visitor is from the present and possibly showing her a future. It is Mike Rossi, who also owns a restaurant/diner on Angel Island. He inherited the diner from his father and now has run the restaurant for longer than even he expected. Less classy than the dining establishment Avery plans to open, the owner Mike Rossi nevertheless makes an impression on Avery at their first meeting. Mike also teaches her an important lesson in life on Angel Island; there is neighborly help first and anything such as competition between dining establishments a far away second, if it ever should come to that. 

As the reader follows these two stories and the ups and downs of the protagonists, the style of Katherine Spencer is transforming the book into a scene reminiscent of the light that came through Kinkade’s painting. While there is shadow, the light is always there and with it the overwhelming good in people and in life overall. I enjoyed this book. It is not fast paced and the ending is not the most surprising, but the story does show a very life affirming tone. I would personally recommend this book as a vacation read, when a light reading is required that can be put down and picked up whenever there is a rainy day and outdoors activities are not an option.

Book Review: Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen

We all have heard about the Prince of Wales and his affair with the divorcee Wallis Simpson that eventually cost him the throne, but how many of us can say that they were privy to the queen’s personal thoughts and concerns regarding her son? Well, it is only fiction, but this book brings you a heroine that gets to hobnob with the royal class. The protagonist is Lady Georgiana Rannoch, a young lady that is closely enough related to the Queen to actually be considered in line for the throne. No wonder then that she actually knows how the Queen worried about Wallis Simpson and her possible effect on the succession. But Wallis Simpson for now is a problem far in the future, while in the case on hand Lady Georgiana seems to solve the murder of a Duke, who was found, quite unbecoming to his future presence on earth, with a knife in his back and therefore quite dead. 

The number one suspect is the Duke's newly found heir Jack Altringham, a recent import from Australian Outback and owner of the knife that made its way into the back of the Duke. This turn of events for Jack does not meet the expectations of Lady Georgiana, who was entrusted with the grooming of Jack and now looks to have failed in her duty, despite being personally asked by the Queen to educate Jack in the finer points of life. 

While Jack was still considered half wild, being more familiar with hunting and life in the Outback than proper table manners, Lady Georgiana cannot believe him to be a murderer. Even when the Duke announced that he planned on designating his own heir and thereby providing Jack with a motive for wanting him dad, Georgiana cannot believe that Jack could be guilty. So Lady Georgiana is again off to the races, snooping amongst her peers to determine who else would have benefited from the untimely death of the Duke. 

This book was advertised as perfect for Downton Abbey fans and a possibly remedy to bridge the in between Downton Abbey time. For once, I have to agree with the marketing slogan. The period is fitting the TV series and the characters are well drawn and anyone that is a fan of the TV series will be able to thoroughly enjoy the antics of Lady Georgiana. Sure to drive her relative nuts, but just the unconventional character that reminds us of some female members at Downton Abbey. I have rated this book very highly, not because I like Downton Abbey and therefore like the book, but because this book is entertaining, witty, suspenseful and intelligently written. I am planning on reading the prior editions from the Royal Spyness Mystery series because I really enjoyed this book.

Product Review (bzzagent) Chilean Wines - Frontera Moscato

Through bzzagent.com I was provided with several mail in rebates for $5 off to Frontera wines from Chile. I had never heard of Frontera wines before, but certainly was willing to sample a wine that was supposed to taste like $20 a bottle, but would only set us back $5. Especially when a friend of mine told me that she loves the Moscato and was eagerly  begging me for a MIR form. I decided to give the Moscato a try and currently Harris Teeter is running a special, selling the Moscato in the 750ml bottles at 2 for $10. So with the $5 off rebate form, I ended up getting two bottles of Moscato for $5, really a true bargain for wine.

Then came the important question, how does it taste? Even the best bargain is a loss, if the wine is bad. But the Frontera Moscato was a pleasant surprise. I had a three way sampling event, pairing the Moscato with two more expensive wines, both of which were rose wines. While each wine had a distinctive flavor, the Moscato did not seem the cheapest wine. As a matter of fact, all three wines were judged equally good by us.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - ready for the sampling, Frontera versus the rest!

After the official testing, we got down to the enjoyable, non-work (tasting) part of the evening. We paired Frontera Moscato with an antipasto plate consisting of cheese, peppers and cold cuts. The Moscato worked out well and the dinner tasted phenomenal because the Frontera wine was not overpowering the meal, but nicely complementing it.  The light and fruity flavor of the Moscato makes it an ideal meal companion that can go with savory meals like the antipasto, but could also be used as a dessert wine with a cheese plate or an apple tart.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Moscato to go with an antipasto platter - perfect light dinner!

Overall, I was definitely impressed with the Moscato from Frontera. The price, especially at the current sale at Harris Teeter, was definitely a bargain and the wine is great. It is perfect for summer, light so you can drink a glass more than usual and the flavor is light as well, making it perfect as a regular wine to go with dinner. I usually cool it down a little bit and then drink it with dinner and sip on another glass after dinner. If you are looking for quality wines that do not break the bank, give Frontera a try!


Disclaimer: Through bzzagent.com I received several mail in rebates for $5 off two bottles of Frontera wine in exchange for promoting the wine on social networks, in person and on blogs. The opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by bzzagent.com or any other third party.

Book Review: The Body in the Piazza by Katherine Hall Page

If you ever wanted to take a culinary tour of Italy, but somehow never gotten around to making enough money to afford it, reading this book will provide you with a nice basis to imagine how your tour could end up – without the murder of course. Faith Fairchild and her husband, the Reverend Tom Fairchild have given themselves a tour of Rome and Tuscany as an anniversary gift. Since Faith is working as caterer and solves only the occasional murder, the description of the Italian food devoured by the couple are extraordinarily detailed and will make your mouth water. In addition, Katherine Hall Page manages to provide descriptions of the places and people with so much detail that the reader can really imagine being in Italy right beside Faith and Tom. 

Faith and Tom arrive at the hotel in Rome and there they meet Freddy Ives, an Englishman, who knows Rome well and introduces them to the specialties that a local restaurant serves. After a night of good food and wine, the vacation is off to a good start for Faith and her husband. But the relaxation is only short-lived because the couple stumbles across Freddy dying. His last words do not make sense and without Faith or Tom having made any relevant observations to who may want to kill Freddie, the police are on their own in solving the murder. Or are they? Because as Faith and Tom travel to Tuscany to spend some time at the cooking school Cucina della Rossi, owned by Francesca Rossi. Francesca used to work for Faith, but has now found her true calling in cooking and Faith cannot wait to dive into the local cuisine. But strange things happen and the bad ghosts from Rome seem to have followed the couple. 

Can Faith solve the origin of the bad luck that follows them from Rome and unravel the cause of Freddie’s death? In between sampling Italian food, described in such detail by the author that you can easily picture the food on the place, Faith starts sleuthing. Katherine Hall Page has written an extraordinary book. While it is a mystery story at its core, the description of the locations, such as the many markets or wonderful food offerings in Rome, are so detailed that the book could almost be a travelogue. I really enjoyed learning some more about Italian cuisine. Because as a caterer, Faith will not settle for everyday Italian fare and so this book, besides being a wonderful and entertaining mystery story, has the benefit to introducing the reader to several interesting local dishes.