Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 154

Book Review: Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin Van Whye

Title: Date me, Bryson Keller
By: Kevin Van WhyeGenre: RomancePages: 336Release Date: May 19th, 2020Publisher: Random House Books for Young ReadersRating: ★★★☆☆
Summary from Goodreads: What If It's Us meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before in this upbeat and heartfelt boy-meets-boy romance that feels like a modern twist on a '90s rom-com!

Everyone knows about the dare: Each week, Bryson Keller must date someone new--the first person to ask him out on Monday morning. Few think Bryson can do it. He may be the king of Fairvale Academy, but he's never really dated before.

Until a boy asks him out, and everything changes.

Kai Sheridan didn't expect Bryson to say yes. So when Bryson agrees to secretly go out with him, Kai is thrown for a loop. But as the days go by, he discovers there's more to Bryson beneath the surface, and dating him begins to feel less like an act and more like the real thing. Kai knows how the story of a gay boy liking someone straight ends. With his heart on the line, he's awkwardly trying to navigate senior year at school, at home, and in the closet, all while grappling with the fact that this "relationship" will last only five days. After all, Bryson Keller is popular, good-looking, and straight . . . right?

Kevin van Whye delivers an uplifting and poignant coming-out love story that will have readers rooting for these two teens to share their hearts with the world--and with each other.
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Review:This was a nice story, not a great story. I didn't feel like there was anything exciting or special about the romance. It was two normal teenage boys going to high school and figuring out what it means to be together as a couple. I wish there had been more content to the story.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Weekly Menu #352 And The Book Of The Week

Hello Monday! I have to say, my family ate every meal on the menu last week. Usually we order pizza at least once during the week when we are too tired to cook, but we did good this week. We really did.
This weeks book is Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris. I needed to read a book set in Texas and I already had this one on my list. I liked the first book, and wondering how I will like the second one. Are you a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse books? How about TrueBlood? Let me know in the comments below.
On to this weeks menu. Enjoy!

MENU MondayStovetop Chicken Pot Pie
TuesdayWorcestershire Glazed Burgers
WednesdayChicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
ThursdayPork Cutlets with Avocado Salad
FridayPesto Chicken Veggie Meatballs
SaturdaySheet Pan Sourdough Tuna Melts
SundayLeftovers Night

Sunday Confessions #44

Sunday... Yep, we are here again. How are all of you doing? Hanging in there? Its been pure chaos around my house. My boys were doing ok, but they seem to have reverted back to pre quarantine chaos and their schedules are all messed up. For autistic kids, a schedule is a huge deal. We will survive.
Lets get on to the confessions, shall we?

Weekly Menu #351 And The Book Of The Week~Movie Review: Ford Vs Ferrari~Book Review: Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas~TV Review: Outlander Season 5~Book Review: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Weekly Menu #352 And The Book Of The Week~Book Review: Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin Van Whye~Book Review: The Unseen Force by Catherine Fitzsimmons~Book Review: The Gift of Forgiveness by Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt~Sunday Confessions #45




38/50 Books in my Read Around the Country challenge~17/196 in my Star Wars Legends challenge~6/20 in my Scotland challenge~39/341 Gilmore Girls challenge~38/100 in my 100 books before you die challenge

I'm hoping to get my boys back on some kind of a schedule today, but that would require my middle son to wake up at a decent hour. Wish me luck...

Book Review: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Title: Moloka'iBy: Alan BrennertGenre: Historical FictionPages: 405Release Date: October 4th, 2004Publisher: St. Martin's GriffinRating: ★★★★☆
Summary from Goodreads:This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai'i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place---and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.
Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i. Here her life is supposed to end---but instead she discovers it is only just beginning.
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Review:It is hard to know that such suffering happened in our past. Before we knew what caused leprosy, we would shun and send the infected to leper camps. They were considered sinners and unclean. When a young girl is sent to one of these camps where her family becomes distant and abandoning, how can she survive? This story was really touching, but truly sad. It wasn't until the end of the story, that I felt satisfied and whole. A great ending to the long suffering.

TV Review: Outlander Season 5

Title: Outlander Season 5Genre: Historical Time TravelRelease Date: February 14th, 2020My Rating: ★★★★★IMDB Rating: 8.4/10Cast: Summary from IMDB: An English combat nurse from 1945 is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743
IMDB Trailer

Review:I have always been a huge fan of the Outlander series. Although, some of the books where hard to get through and way too long.
Season 5 just wrapped up last Sunday, and it was a hard episode to watch. I remember telling my husband that something good better happen because they can't leave my hanging on such a depressing note. Things did start to lighten toward the end, but not enough to bring me out of my sadness. We did get a small taste of what was to come with an impending war on the horizon and some threats from Brownsville. I'm nervous to see how that plays out.
As far as the whole season goes, things happened in different ways then I remembered in the books, but it has been a while since I've read The Fiery Cross. If you haven't seen the show, I won't give anything away for you, but I think you will see what I see if you are a book lover like I am.
The change in story line didn't really deter from the season as a whole. I'm curious to see how these changes will play out. Kind of like the whole Murtagh Fitzgibbon thing where he showed up in America after he was supposed to be dead, and in the books he was. I did like that little change in the story line.
I loved this season a little more than last season. Each episode keeps getting better and better. If you haven't already watched the season finally, go do so, but if you have, leave me a comment below with your thougths.

Book Review: Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Crescent CityBy: Sarah J. MaasGenre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Pages: 816Release Date: March 3rd, 2020Publisher: Bloomsbury PublishingRating: ★★★☆☆
Summary from Goodreads:Bound by blood.
Tempted by desire.
Unleashed by destiny.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.
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Review:This was a hard read for me and I know I'm in the minority of reviews since I only gave it 3 stars, but I'm not the kind of reviewer that loves a book just because I 'm obsessed with the author. I loved the thorns and roses series, but this book was not up to par.

It was long and slow, and I couldn't fall in love with the characters. I found that some people were just thrown into the story without any explanation as to who they were, but I got the feeling they were supposed to be important.

I wanted to fall in love with the characters and revel in the magical world building I was so used to, but instead, I was left with questions and felt as if I've been here before. If only I could have loved this one.

Movie Review: Ford Vs Ferrari

Title: Ford Vs FerrariGenre: HistoricalRelease Date: November 15th, 2019My Rating: ★★★★★IMDB Rating: 8.1/10Cast: Summary from IMDB: American car designer IMDB Trailer

Review:I Loved this movie. It was exciting, thrilling, caring, loving, infuriating and funny, all wrapped up with an amazing, yet true story line.
I never really knew this story existed. Being from a car family, I knew that the European car makers didn't really take the American car makers seriously, but not at this level. I wonder though, how much of this story was embellished. Maybe I should find a book about it, lol.
Whether you are a car person or not, this movie was a wonderful story of pushing the boundaries and never letting anyone tell you that something is impossible.

Weekly Menu #351 And The Book Of The Week

Monday is back. I feel like a broken record when I say, we survived another week of quarantine. How long will this go on?!?!

Who knows. Thing seem to be looking up. Oregon has made a plan to open somethings up by May 15th. That's a good sign. I'm hoping to get a haircut soon. Quarantine hair is not pretty.
This weeks read is As Old As Time by Liz Braswell. I read the Mulan book in this series and loved it, so why not read the rest of these twisted tales. What are you reading this week?
Lets get on with this weeks menu. Enjoy!

MENU
MondayChicken Noodle Soup
TuesdayMexican Pork and Street Corn Tacos
WednesdayShake it up! Pork Cutlets
ThursdayItalian Chicken Over Lemony Spaghetti
FridaySunny Side Up Burgers
SaturdayCheddar Patty Melt
SundayLeftovers Night

Book Review: Rakes and Roses by Josi S. Kilpack

Title: Rakes and Roses
By: Josi S. KilpackGenre: Historical RomancePages: 320Release Date: May 5th, 2020Publisher: Shadow MountainRating: ★★★★☆
Summary from Goodreads:Lady Sabrina endured an abusive marriage, a miscarriage, and early widowhood to emerge as a smart, successful, confident woman who found a way to make her mark in a man’s world. She has friends and purpose, but cannot hide from the emptiness she feels when the parties are over and the friends have gone home to families she will never have.

Harry Stillman may be charming and handsome, but he’s a gambler and a rake who has made a mockery of his privileges. He turns to the mysterious Lord Damion for financial relief from his debts, but still ends up beaten nearly senseless by thugs and left in an ally.

When Lady Sabrina comes upon Harry after the attack, she remembers the kindness Harry once showed to her six years ago and brings him to her estate to heal. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, it soon mellows into friendship, then trust. But Lady Sabrina needs to keep Harry at a distance, even if he is becoming the kind of man worthy of her heart. After all, she is keeping a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything she’s so carefully built. 
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Review:
This was a new series for me, but it was a quick read and I read it in one day. I had a hard time connecting to the Characters in the beginning. I think its because the characters were really harsh toward each other, but didn’t really know one another.

The second half was sweet. As the characters started to get to know each other and feelings began to form, they had a very playful way of communicating, and it allowed the story to move forward naturally.

This was an interesting read.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.



Josi S. Kilpack is the bestselling author of several Proper Romance and ProperRomance Historical series and a Cozy Culinary Mystery series. Her books, AHeart Revealed and Lord Fenton's Folly; were Publishers Weekly Best Romance
Books of the Year. She and her husband, Lee, are the parents of four children.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Sunday Confessions #43

Sunday and another weekly confession. Things are getting crazy out in the world with the protests and people going back to work, while I am here safe in my home, and I will continue to stay safe in my home until I decide it is time to emerge from my hibernation. This has been my choice and I do have reasons behind it.
Books are always a constant though. Lots of wonderful books on the blog last week and many more to come in the following weeks. 

Sunday Confessions #42~Weekly Menu #350 And The Book Of The Week~April 2020 Wrap Up~Book Review: Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis~Movie Review: Toy Story 4~Book Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn~Book Review: Rakes and Roses by Josi S. Kilpack


Weekly Menu #351 And The Book Of The Week~Book Review: Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas~Book Review: Moloka'i by Alan Brennert~Sunday Confessions #44




38/50 Books in my Read Around the Country challenge~17/196 in my Star Wars Legends challenge~5/20 in my Scotland challenge~39/341 Gilmore Girls challenge~38/100 in my 100 books before you die challenge

I hope this coming week brings good things. Stay safe out there during these trying times.