Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 220

#WeeklyMenu Week #214 | Taco Soup, Brats and Schnitzle

Happy Monday! After much anticipation, Outlander Season 3 is finally here. As I am writing this post, I have yet to watch it, but I'm fairly sure by the time this post goes live I will have been fully immersed in the Scottish Hylands. I, myself and part Scottish. Also, Irish, Welsh and Dutch. I don't know what any of that has to do with Outlander, other than the fact that its set in Scotland, but I thought you should all know... That I am one crazy mutt. 

Anyway, If you didn't catch yesterdays confessions, I'm super upset about the wild fires happening in my neck of the woods. All my favorite hiking trails are destroyed and there is no telling when they will be back open to the public. If you want to hear more about my feelings on the matter, check out my confessions on fire, hurricanes and books or my top 5 books about fire posts from last week.

Blogging seems to be the only writing I've been getting done lately. I've been looking for more opportunities to write, but this week has been crazy with trips to the ER (find out about it in my confessions), The first week of school and a crazy work schedule. I'm still amazed that I even have time to figure out my menu. Maybe this week will be easier and I will write again...

Well, enjoy this weeks menu and have a happy second week of September.

Monday- Taco Soup
Tuesday- Bratwurst 
Wednesday- Spanish Rice
Thursday- Buffalo Chicken Wings
Friday- Chicken Schniztle Burgers
Saturday- Cobb Salad
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

Weekly Confessions #6 | Fire, Hurricanes and Books

Who's ready for some confessions? Are you? Are you really? Ok, fine.

I have a lot to share with you in the book and life categories. The first week of school is finally over and work has been crazy. I'm happy to have a few days off, but as usual it will be filled with house work and shopping. Yeah for me. Adulting!

Lets get on with the good stuff. First category is...

I've been working through my review books this week trying to bust them out so I don't have to worry about them. That means a lot of reviews on the blog. I am sorry about that, but deal. This weeks reads include A plague of zombies by Diana Gabaldon, a short little novella in the Lord John Grey series. Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw, which I have been dying to get my hands on and I loved it. Make sure you read my review. Artemis by Andy Atlantis: The king's return. I wasn't too thrilled about this one, but you can't win them all. If you want to know more about this last one, make sure you stop back by in a few days for the review.
Weir. A thrilling sci-fi that had me on the edge of my seat. To round off the weekend,

There are a lot of fun books coming up in the next week so stay tuned. Stories such as, A murder in time. Black City and The Immortals. It looks like its going to be a book club kind of week.

Make sure you join my book club so you can keep up with all the awesome books I post about. It's mostly geared toward helping you read those books on your TBR pile. I'd love to see you there and find out what you're reading.

Alright, next on the agenda...

Oh snap! It's confession time.

Angels RestOne of the big issues that's been on my mind this past week is the huge fire that is burning out of control in the Oregon Gorge. Oregon is my state. My home. I've been to the Gorge many times and love the hikes that show off the beauty of our part of the world. Now its a chard ruin of what it once was.

Maybe one day we will get back to the Gorge and see how the fire has changed things, but it will probably be a while before they open the trails up again. There is still a lot of clean up left to do.

I feel like the world is ending. The fires in the Gorge. Hurrican Irma. The earthquake in Mexico. Why world? Why?

In other news, my husband tried to smash his head in with a fence post driver. Ended up with seven staples in his head.

Ok, I'm thoroughly depressed. Lets see if we can come up with something a little more fun...

What's more fun than writing? For a most of you there's probably a lot that's more fun, but for me, writing is where its at. Sadly, I didn't get to do much of it this week. Mostly because I had to make up  the time I missed at work. Maybe next week.

I did though come up with a few new ideas, but they really do me no good if I don't have the time to write them. Life...

Ok, what's next...

So, this week on the blog...

I finally got my hands on Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw and I loved it.I gave you 5 books to read about fire, just because my state is burning.We watched the movie Colossal and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.I read November Girl. My favorite month of the year.Read a fellow Evernight Teen author's book, Desperate.And of course, here is your menu for last week.To finish things out, I must confess that this is how I feel.

Weekly Confessions #6

Who's ready for some confessions? Are you? Are you really? Ok, fine.

I have a lot to share with you in the book and life categories. The first week of school is finally over and work has been crazy. I'm happy to have a few days off, but as usual it will be filled with house work and shopping. Yeah for me. Adulting!

Lets get on with the good stuff. First category is...

I've been working through my review books this week trying to bust them out so I don't have to worry about them. That means a lot of reviews on the blog. I am sorry about that, but deal. This weeks reads include A plague of zombies by Diana Gabaldon, a short little novella in the Lord John Grey series. Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw, which I have been dying to get my hands on and I loved it. Make sure you read my review. Artemis by Andy Atlantis: The king's return. I wasn't too thrilled about this one, but you can't win them all. If you want to know more about this last one, make sure you stop back by in a few days for the review.
Weir. A thrilling sci-fi that had me on the edge of my seat. To round off the weekend,

There are a lot of fun books coming up in the next week so stay tuned. Stories such as, A murder in time. Black City and The Immortals. It looks like its going to be a book club kind of week.

Make sure you join my book club so you can keep up with all the awesome books I post about. It's mostly geared toward helping you read those books on your TBR pile. I'd love to see you there and find out what you're reading.

Alright, next on the agenda...

Oh snap! It's confession time.

Angels Rest
One of the big issues that's been on my mind this past week is the huge fire that is burning out of control in the Oregon Gorge. Oregon is my state. My home. I've been to the Gorge many times and love the hikes that show off the beauty of our part of the world. Now its a chard ruin of what it once was.

Maybe one day we will get back to the Gorge and see how the fire has changed things, but it will probably be a while before they open the trails up again. There is still a lot of clean up left to do.

I feel like the world is ending. The fires in the Gorge. Hurrican Irma. The earthquake in Mexico. Why world? Why?

In other news, my husband tried to smash his head in with a fence post driver. Ended up with seven staples in his head.

Ok, I'm thoroughly depressed. Lets see if we can come up with something a little more fun...

What's more fun than writing? For a most of you there's probably a lot that's more fun, but for me, writing is where its at. Sadly, I didn't get to do much of it this week. Mostly because I had to make up  the time I missed at work. Maybe next week.

I did though come up with a few new ideas, but they really do me no good if I don't have the time to write them. Life...

Ok, what's next...

So, this week on the blog...

I finally got my hands on Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw and I loved it.I gave you 5 books to read about fire, just because my state is burning.We watched the movie Colossal and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.I read November Girl. My favorite month of the year.Read a fellow Evernight Teen author's book, Desperate.And of course, here is your menu for last week.To finish things out, I must confess that this is how I feel.

#BookReview | Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw

Title: Strange Practice By: Vivian ShawGenre: Urban Fantasy / ParanormalPages: 320Release Date: July 25th, 2017Publisher: Orbit
Summary from Goodreads: Meet Greta Helsing, fast-talking doctor to the undead. Keeping the supernatural community not-alive and well in London has been her family's specialty for generations.
Greta Helsing inherited the family's highly specialized, and highly peculiar, medical practice. In her consulting rooms, Dr. Helsing treats the undead for a host of ills - vocal strain in banshees, arthritis in barrow-wights, and entropy in mummies. Although barely making ends meet, this is just the quiet, supernatural-adjacent life Greta's been groomed for since childhood.

Until a sect of murderous monks emerges, killing human and undead Londoners alike. As terror takes hold of the city, Greta must use her unusual skills to stop the cult if she hopes to save her practice, and her life.
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Review: I've been wanting to get my hands on this book for a long time and the wait is finally over. This book was crazy good. I loved the whole Van Helsing concept and how it was played out. Greta is a paranormal doctor who is thrown into a strange mystery when a murderous monk shows up. How can you go wrong with that? I could have used a little more world building, but that's just me.
Four stars for Strange Practice!

5 Books About Fire as my State Burns

Forest fires are a common thing during the dry summer months here in Oregon. Some years are worse than others. Most the time we have enough rain to keep the fires to a minimum, but this year, it hasn't rained in months and the state is very dry.

As usual, stupid people do stupid things and a huge forest fire started a little too close to home. The sky is filled with smoke. Ash is creating a thin layer of dust on the cars, and the air is thick with the smell of camp fire.

We have family in the path of the flames. So far they are safe, but the wind can change at any moment. Last we heard, the fire had burned over 20 thousand acres of forest and was zero percent contained.

Some of our favorite hiking trails have been destroyed. It took many fire fighters tirelessly working all night to save the lodge at Multnomah Falls. A historic landmark that we all have fond memories of visiting.

This all could have been avoided if a fifteen year old boy hadn't thrown a lit firecracker into the underbrush while walking in the forest.

The community has come together, giving shelter to those in need. Also to the animals that have been displaced by the fires. Its amazing to see how people react to this kind of devastation.

In honor of all those battling the flames and all the selfless people opening their homes to the evacuees, here is a list of my favorite stories about fire.

1. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. This book is all about fire and the immense power of the flames.

2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire by J.K. Rowling. Also a good book about fire and what happens when someone hates your guts and wants you dead.

3. Game of Thrones (A song of ice and fire) by George R. R. Martin. Lots of fire. Lots and lots of fire. You can't even imagine how much fire there is in this book.

4. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. This chick can wield fire. She is a bad ass fire wielding killer. Loved it!

5. The Fire Queen by Emily R. Smith. I just read this one and loved it. Another awesome fire chick showing the world who's boss.


What are your favorite books with a fire theme? Let me know if the comments.

#BookReview | The November Girl by Lydia Kang

Title: The November GirlBy: Lydia KangGenre: Urban FantasyPages: 340Release Date: November 7th, 2017Publisher: Entangled: TeenAudience: Young Adult
Summary from Goodreads: I am Anda, and the lake is my mother. I am the November storms that terrify sailors and sink ships. With their deaths, I keep my little island on Lake Superior alive.Hector has come here to hide from his family until he turns eighteen. Isle Royale is shut down for the winter, and there's no one here but me. And now him.Hector is running from the violence in his life, but violence runs through my veins. I should send him away, to keep him safe. But I'm half human, too, and Hector makes me want to listen to my foolish, half-human heart. And if I do, I can't protect him from the storms coming for us.
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Review: Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.I have been waiting a long time for this book to come out and I'm so excited to have a review copy from the publisher via Netgalley.
The story didn't disappoint. Anda is a strange girl, but so strong. She lives alone on an island and has a secret, but everything changes when Hector shows up. The only thing about this book that struck me as odd, was how quickly the two characters fell in love. I didn't feel the connection between them. It was just a naïve girl with a horny teenage boy kind of thing.

The story was quick and full of mystery and action. I loved the ending and how Anda has to overcome the truth about what she is. This was an epic read.

#MovieReview | Colossal

Title: ColossalGenre: I can't decide. It goes through many genres.Release Date: 2016Rating: RCast: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis
Summary from IMDB: Gloria is an out-of-work party girl forced to leave her life in New York City, and move back home. When reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, she gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to this phenomenon.
IMDB Trailer
Review: This was one weird movie. It didn't know what it was. A scifi, a rom com, a thriller. I have no idea... But I loved it! 


The story follows Gloria who is a drunk and can't hold a job. Her boyfriend kicks her out of his apartment so Gloria goes back to a house her parents own in her childhood town. She runs into an old school buddy and weird things happen. There is a huge monster destroying Seoul Korea and through much research and discovery, Gloria finds out that she is controlling the monster. That part is hilarious. 

I really don't know how else to explain this movie other than telling you to go watch it. Its one of my new favorite movies. 

#BookReview | Desperate by Jon Ripslinger

Title: DesperateBy: Jon RipslingerGenre: Contemporary / Murder MysteryPages: 190Release Date: July 6th, 2017Publisher: Evernight TeenAudience: Young Adult
Summary from Goodreads: Eighteen-year-old Buddy McNeal has always finished last in the eyes of his parents. His mother deserted the family, divorcing his dad when Buddy was eleven. Buddy’s father, a wealthy real estate investor, is a big-time womanizer who no longer has time for him. As an all-state wide receiver, Buddy earns a college football scholarship and intends to prove to himself and his parents that he is somebody by becoming an all-America player in college, and eventually a million-dollar star in pro-football—recognized, admired, and loved by everyone. 

In ninth grade, Buddy had a brief sexual encounter with the beautiful but mysterious Crystal Crowe, who promptly disappeared, only to return as a senior. They meet up again, and Buddy falls in love with her, but he quickly becomes embroiled in her unstable home life, including a lesbian love triangle. He follows Crystal down a path that leads them both into a horrific world of mayhem, and eventually murder: Buddy’s dreams for the future destroyed, his life forever changed. 
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Review: Desperate is a twisted ride of murder and love. You can't help but feel for poor Buddy McNeal as he his sucked into this world of lies. All he ever wanted to do was make his father notice him, but that leads to wrong decisions.

I really loved following Buddy's story. It was nail biting as I turned into one of those girls that says things like "Don't go in the basement!" I found myself wanting him to make the right decision, but also wanting him not to because I craved the drama and mystery.

The story was a little short, leaving me a little disappointed. I think if there was more to the trial and ending it would have been better, but it still kept me entertained throughout the whole book.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

#WeeklyMenu Week #213

Happy first Monday in September! I can't believe we made it through the summer and the kids go back to school tomorrow. I'm excited for the quiet time with just my youngest. I have one more year and then all of them will be off into the world.
I did manage to get a little bit of writing done. If you want to know a little more about whats really been going on in the world of writing, check out last weeks confessions.
Its been a hard week for my family. Grandpa passed away moments before we stopped by the house. I'm thankful we weren't there with the boys and have to have them experience something like that. I'm saddened though knowing that he was not ready to go, but he was surrounded by people who loved him. He lasted a lot longer than anyone expected, mostly because he was a stubborn old miser and also because my mom is an amazing caretaker. 
This week I found a list of really easy and yummy sounding meals. I'm excited to try the. Enjoy!
Monday- Pepper Steak with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Tuesday- Italian Sausage and Orzo Skillet
Wednesday- Garden Fresh Lasagna 
Thursday- Peppered Pork Pitas with Garlic Spread
Friday- French Onion Chicken
Saturday- Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup
Sunday
- Tuna Sandwiches

#BookReview | The Sea Peoples by S.M. Stirling

Title: The Sea PeoplesBy: S.M. StirlingGenre: Dystopian FantasyPages: 432Release Date: October 10th, 2017Publisher:  AceAudience: Adult
Summary from Goodreads: S. M. Stirling’s Novels of the Change are a “truly original combination of postapocalyptic sci-fi and military-oriented medieval fantasy”* about a future where mysterious Powers removed advanced technology, and humanity rebuilds society. However, this new world is not always a peaceful one.... 
The spirit of troubadour Prince John, the brother of Crown Princess Órlaith, has fallen captive to the power of the Yellow Raja and his servant, the Pallid Mask. Prince John’s motley band of friends and followers—headed by Captain Pip of Townsville and Deor Godulfson—must lead a quest through realms of shadow and dreams to rescue Prince John from a threat far worse than death.

Meanwhile, across the sea, Japanese Empress Reiko and Órlaith, heir to the High Kingdom of Montival, muster their kingdoms for war, making common cause with the reborn Kingdom of Hawaii. But more than weapons or even the dark magic of the sorcerers of Pyongyang threaten them; Órlaith's lover, Alan Thurston, might be more than he appears.

From the tropical waters off Hilo and Pearl Harbor, to the jungles and lost cities of the Ceram Sea, a game will be played where the fate of the world is at stake. 
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Review: I don't know about this one. I've tried to read S.M. Stirling books before and I get bogged down in all the would building. Don't get me wrong, world building is an essential part of a good story, but I found that I had a hard time sorting through the description to find the story. 
My husband has read a lot of this series, so I know he will like it. This one is going on the "not my style," shelf. 

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