Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 236

#WeeklyMenu Week 193

Happy Easter! I hope you had a great day full of family and friends. We spent the day with good food, family and lots of waffles. Yes, we had waffles.

I made this week easy because the boys are off of school today and I don't want to spend hours wandering the store for what I need. I just want to gte in and get out without any problems. Wish me luck.

Enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday- Shrimp Caesar Salad
Tuesday- Chicken Avocado Burrito 
Wednesday- Toad in a Hole
Thursday- Pork Chops and Potatoes
Friday- Lemon Butter Chicken
Saturday- Chicken Cobb Salad
Sunday
- Tuna Sandwiches

#BookReview | Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

Title: Mask of ShadowsBy: Linsey MillerGenre: FantasyRelease Date: September 5th, 2017Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire
Summary from Goodreads: Perfect for fantasy fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, the first book in this new duology features a compelling gender fluid main character, impressive worldbuilding, and fast-paced action.
Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class―and the nobles who destroyed their home. 

When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand―the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears―Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. 

But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.
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Review: I loved this book to its core. It had assassins, magical mystery monsters, a selection kind of vibe going on with the trials for the new Opal. Mystery and deceit. Action and a little bit of romance. All the characters really brought a color to the world and each one had their own part in moving the story along. The book kept me entertained from start to finish. Five stars for Linsey Miller's Mask of Shadows.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

#BookReview | Who Killed Superwoman? by Phil Jimenez

Title: Who killed Superwoman?By: Phil JimenezGenre: Graphic NovelRelease Date: April 4th, 2017Publisher: DC Comics
Summary from Goodreads: A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!
Imbued with the powers of Superman, Lois Lane pledges to use her powers to protect Metropolois as the new Superwoman. The only problem is, Lois' new powers are killing her, and neither she nor her friend and confidant Lana Lang know what to do about it.
Will Lois even survive long enough to uncover the deadly secret of her new foe, Ultra-Woman? Find out in Superwoman, Volume 1: Who Is Superwoman?, written and drawn by comics superstar Phil Jimenez (Infinite Crisis)!

Collecting: Superwoman 1-6

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Review: I love a good epic woman duo. Its crazy to me that Lois Lane has super man's powers but she is one bad ass chick fighting to save Metropolis. The story seemed to move nicely and the characters were butt kickers. I loved the art and the layout. It was beautifully created.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

July Thunder by Shannon A. Thompson #BlogTour

July Thunder
Shannon A. Thompson
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: April 10th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

From best-selling author Shannon A. Thompson comes an exciting new duology in the Bad Bloods universe.
Fourteen-year-old Violet has been called many things: a bad blood, a survivor, an immortal…now she has a new name–citizen. But adjusting to a lawful life is not easy, especially when she must live under the rule of the same officers who justified the killings of her flock only eight months earlier.
Segregation of bad bloods and humans is still in effect, and rebellious Violet steps into a school where she is not allowed. When the police get involved, things deteriorate quickly, sparking a new revolution at the wall separating the Highlands from the outskirts.
That’s when Caleb steps in. He might appear to be an average sixteen-year-old bad blood, but he has secrets, and Violet is determined to figure them out. Caleb knows who’s attacking the wall and why, but his true identity remains a mystery–and how he relates to Violet could shake the threatened city to its very core.
Together or not, a storm will form, a rally will start, and shocking truths will be revealed.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Smashwords—EXCERPT:While the Northern Flock had to be quiet to survive, the herd played music in order to live.Caleb’s hand found mine. “Dance with me?” he asked, but I hated my answer.
“I can’t.” My confession came with my wrecked knee. With one gesture, Caleb seemed to understand, but as he turned his eyes to his herd—to Britney prancing around with Plato, to Kat covering her ears, to Yasir holding Hanna with his protective gloves between them—Caleb pulled me up to my feet.
“Let me do it for you,” he said, and then, he lifted me up and placed me on the tops of his boots.
As he swayed, I saw the sunburn on the tops of his cheeks, the sand in his hair, the sea salt on his skin. Then, his chapped lips as he managed a shaky smile. For once, Caleb looked disheveled, and I had never liked him more.
“That’s some crew you have,” he said, but I hadn’t noticed anyone else in the world around us until he spun.
Life-sized shadows—dozens of them—danced all around us, and I recognized their shapes as people I would always know. Blake and his teddy bear. Floyd’s stretched limbs, and Ami’s swinging braids. Even Adam’s speed.
Alive or dead, the shadows of every member of my own flock joined in on the dance of a herd, and my heart fluttered at the sight.
Losing control had never felt so great.
Neither had a storm descending down upon us.

Author Bio:
Shannon A. Thompson is a young adult author, avid reader, and a habitual chatterbox.
As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson spends her free time writing and sharing ideas with her black cat, Bogart, named after her favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. Her other two cats bring her coffee. Between writing and befriending cats, Thompson graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis on creative writing, and her work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies. Represented by Clean Teen Publishing, Thompson is the best-selling author of The Timely Death Trilogy and the Bad Bloods duology. When she is not writing, she is climbing rooftops, baking cookies, or watching murder shows in the middle of the night, often done with her cats by her side.
Visit her blog for writers and readers at www.ShannonAThompson.com.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

#BookReview | Who She Was by Stormy Smith

Title: Who She WasBy: Stormy SmithGenre: Contemporary FictionRelease Date: May 4th, 2017Publisher: Perfect Storm Publishing, LLC
Summary from Goodreads: Trevor Adler loathes the music he used to love, but it’s the key to his full-ride scholarship and the ticket away from his dysfunctional parents. To kick off their freshman year, Trevor’s roommate drags him to a frat party, where he ends up face-to-face with his childhood best friend and finds himself entrenched in memories he’d rather forget.
Unable to let Charlie go again without understanding the truth of why she disappeared from his life and chose to become the type of person they always hated, Trevor is relentless in his pursuit of the girl he once knew.

Charlotte (Charlie) Logan is broken. Under her perfectly-crafted exterior are the shards of a shattered heart. A handful of angry words changed her life completely and Charlie’s never been able to forgive herself for the truth she’s hidden from everyone.

While Trevor pushes Charlie to remember the music that lit her soul and the laughter they shared, they find themselves reverting to a banter-filled rhythm that feels all too familiar, yet different now. When Trevor’s own secrets come to light, it becomes clear he and Charlie both must face their tragic pasts if they have any hope at a future together.

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Review: Me and contemporary romance don't always get along, so when I find one that I can actually read from start to finish, I blog about it. Who She Was is a powerful story about two people who are struggling to figure out who they are and hat they want after tragedy strikes and they go their separate ways. 
Charlie has to deal with a lot. She holds a dark secret, one that haunts her about her sisters death and she's reluctant to share it. Trevor has messed up parents who put him in a tight spot. Its either family loyalty or telling the cops the truth. Two options that would break any person down.
This story could have easily been overwhelming, but Smith has come up with a clean and clear way of telling it. There's not too much romance, but then again, just enough. A lot of the time with contemporary romance there is too much gushing monologue and I didn't get that with this book.
If you're looking for an emotion ride that will leave you feeling like love can overcome anything, then pick up Who She Was by Stormy Smith.

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

The Castaways by Jessika Fleck #BlogTour @jessikafleck

Book Title: The Castaways
Author: Jessika Fleck
Release Date: April 3, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy

The Castaway Carnival: fun, mysterious, dangerous. Renowned for its infamous corn maze…and the kids who go missing in it.   When Olive runs into the maze, she wakes up on an isolated and undetectable island where a decades-long war between two factions of rival teens is in full swing. Trapped, Olive must slowly attempt to win each of her new comrades’ hearts as Will—their mysterious, stoically quiet, and handsome leader—steals hers.   Olive is only sure about one thing: her troop consists of the good guys, and she’ll do whatever it takes to help them win the war and get back home. But victory may require more betrayal, sacrifice, and heartbreak than she’s ready for.  


Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/2mq9DXV
Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.to/2nCN0QW
Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/2nlhFXc
iBooks Buy Link: http://apple.co/2mpZR9j
Kobo Buy Link: http://bit.ly/2mH9xNu
Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/2nCCedv
Amazon.ca: http://amzn.to/2lYhctP
Entangled Publishing: http://bit.ly/2lYqJ3U
Jessika Fleck is an author, unapologetic coffee drinker, and knitter — she sincerely hopes to one day discover a way to do all three at once. Until then, she continues collecting vintage typewriters and hourglasses, dreaming of an Ireland getaway, and convincing her husband they NEED more kittens. Her work verges on fantastical and dark with a touch of realism. She is a regular contributor to the fantastic kidlit blog, Kidliterati, and is represented by Victoria Marini of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

Author Website: www.jessikafleck.com
Author Twitter: @jessikafleck
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessikaFleck/
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jessikafleck
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/czxgUv

Giveaway Info: Prize Pack with The Castaways + swag. An Amazon gift card in the case of an international winner.   a Rafflecopter giveaway 
The Excerpt  

But everything’s clear. I do know where to go. “I’m going to find that boulder—” I suck in shallow breath. “The…hhh…maze.”

“It’s no use. We’ve tried everything. It doesn’t work! Wait!”

But I’m not listening because it <i>has </i>to work. It’s the only way. If it got me in, it’ll get me back out.

I run until my body, my mind, and, mostly, my lungs give up. Because, problem is, Will’s right. I don’t know how to find it.

I stop.

Will stops.

Bent at the waist, hands on my knees, I cough and spew, trying to catch my breath. The hyperventilation has passed, but my insistence on sprinting like I’m a track star when my

lungs and legs have no business running, has taken its toll.

I look up.

Will isn’t fazed. At some point he took off his shirt and now stands with his hands on his hips, chest rising and falling, barely winded. His abs flex with each effortless breath. “Get

it out of your system?”

It’s when my stomach springs that I realize I’m staring at his body. I quickly glance away and completely ignore his question. “Take me there.”

“I told you. It’s no use.”

“Please,” I whimper. Tears race down my face.

Tucking his T-shirt into the back of his pants, Will walks in another direction.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m taking you. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

With Will now leading the way, I watch his suntanned back, the sweat beading at his shoulders and slowly, one by one, how the beads roll down the center crease. I’m in a daze

or a haze or a trance because all I see is his back, his muscles contracting and tightening with each step, and, like magic, we’re there.

The mossy boulder stands before us and, I swear, it mocks me in all its ordinary, commonplace glory.

  Follow the rest of the tour here: http://blogtours.yareads.com/2017/03/17/blog-tour-sign-ups-castaways-jessika-fleck/

#BookReview - The Librarians and the Mother Goose Chase by Greg Cox

Title: The Librarians and the Mother Goose ChaseBy: Greg CoxGenre: Urban Fantasy / ParanormalRelease Date: April 25th, 2017Publisher: Tor Books
Summary from Goodreads:For millennia, the Librarians have secretly protected the world by keeping watch over dangerous magical relics. Cataloging and safeguarding everything from Excalibur to Pandora’s Box, they stand between humanity and those who would use the relics for evil.
Stories can be powerful. In 1719, Elizabeth Goose of Boston Massachusetts published a collection of rhyming spells as a children's book, creating a spellbook of terrifying power. The Librarian of that age managed to dispose of all copies of the book except one, which remained in the possession of Elizabeth Goose and her family, temporarily averting any potential disaster.

However, strange things are happening, A window washer in San Diego who was blown off his elevated perch by a freak gust of wind, but miraculously survived by landing on a canopy over the building entrance. A woman in rural Pennsylvania who was attacked by mutant rodents without any eyes. And, a college professor in England who somehow found herself trapped inside a prize pumpkin at a local farmer’s market. Baird and her team of Librarians suspect that the magic of Mother Goose is again loose in the world, and with Fynn Carson AWOL once again, it is up to Cassandra, Ezekiel, and Stone to track down the missing spellbook before the true power of the rhymes can be unleashed.

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Review: Gregg Cox has brought television to the page in a beautiful way. I loved being able to look deeper into the inner feelings of some of my favorite characters. They are wonderfully written and the story moves at a steady pace. Its full of adventure and suspense. I can't wait to read more from this author. 

#WeeklyMenu Week 192

Happy Monday! We're well into April now and the rain is still falling. Typical Oregon. I can't wait for a little dry weather so we can get the boys out for hikes. 
Enjoy this weeks menu!
Monday- Garlic Rosemary Pork Loin
Tuesday- Sloppy Joe's
Wednesday- Lasagna Stuffed Chicken
Thursday- Doritos Salad
Friday- Taco Soup
Saturday- Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs 
Sunday
- Tuna Sandwiches

#BookReview - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

Title: The Radium GirlsBy: Kate MooreGenre: Non-fiction / HistoricalRelease Date: May 2nd, 2017Publisher: Sourcebooks
Summary from Goodreads: The incredible true story of the young women exposed to the “wonder” substance of radium and their brave struggle for justice...
As World War I raged across the globe, hundreds of young women toiled away at the radium-dial factories, where they painted clock faces with a mysterious new substance called radium. Assured by their bosses that the luminous material was safe, the women themselves shone brightly in the dark, covered from head to toe with the glowing dust. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” were considered the luckiest alive—until they began to fall mysteriously ill. As the fatal poison of the radium took hold, they found themselves embroiled in one of America’s biggest scandals and a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights.

A rich, historical narrative written in a sparkling voice, The Radium Girls is the first book that fully explores the strength of extraordinary women in the face of almost impossible circumstances and the astonishing legacy they left behind. 
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Review: This was such an intense book, I can hardly put into words what these women went through all because someone wanted to make a buck. They were told it was safe, over and over again, but the whole time they knew it wasn't. These women were dying terribly gruesome deaths, and they were being brushed under the carpet like what was happening was the women's fault. They stood up for them selves and brought light to the terrible crimes committed against them. Radium Girls takes you through the stories of some of those women. Their life and death. How they glowed in the dark from the radium powder. How well to do women worked in the factories for a few days so they could know what it was like to be a "Ghost" girl. This read was intense but great. If you like a good historical book, this is the one.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
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#BookReview - All about ADHD by Thomas W. Phelan

Title: All About ADHDBy: Thomas W. PhelanGenre: Non-fictionRelease Date: April 4th, 2017Publisher: Sourcebooks
Summary from Goodreads: For the estimated 20 million Americans with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder comes the third edition of All About ADHD by Dr. Thomas W. Phelan, an internationally renowned expert and lecturer on child discipline and ADHD. Completely updated with the latest research and treatment information, All About ADHD is a comprehensive guide to ADHD's symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment in children and adults, including information such as: ● The basic symptoms of ADHD and their effects on school, work, home, and personal relationships ● The differences in ADHD between boys and girls ● Counseling, school interventions, behavior management, and social skills training Written in easy-to-understand language and with a positive, treatment-focused approach, All About ADHD is a must-have resource for parents, teachers, physicians, and mental health professionals.
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Review: As a mother of a son with ADHD, I am familiar with the day to day struggles that kids with this difference face. We've been dealing with it for many years and will keep dealing with it for the rest of my son's life. For a lot of families that have children with ADHD, they don't have a lot of time on their hands to read endless books about this disorder. This book was so full of heavy material that I felt bogged down and had a hard time getting to the stuff that I really wanted to learn. I'm sure all the scientific chapters would benefit someone who is just starting to research about ADHD, but I found that it just went on and on about things that I already knew. Maybe if this book was a little more lighthearted and upbeat, it would have been a great read for me.  

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