Book Review: Reclaim (The Harvest Saga Book 3) by Casey L. Bond

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Reclaim (The Harvest Saga Book 3) by Casey L. Bond

A YA Dystopian Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (06/01/15)

Summary:

This ending to the Harvest Saga will take Abby through the greatest difficulties she’s ever faced. Can she overcome once and for all and help her fellow Lessers into freedom?

Keywords:

Strength, Dystopia, Orchard, Apples, Apple Picking, Castes, Poverty, Female protagonist, the Special One, Infertility, Trains, City, Technological Advances, Weapons, Fighting, Resiliency, Harvest, Oppression

My Review:

There are now more powers than just Olympus hovering over the Lessers and Orchard. What seemed an ally is just a power standing by and waiting for their opportunity to strike. Or were they waiting by? This book’s plot is much more complex than it at first seemed and it was so satisfying to plunge into its depths.

This was a fantastic ending to the Harvest Saga and worth the read. I finished the entire trilogy in less than a week. Thanks Casey L. Bond for a thrilling ride. I will definitely be reading more of your books.

Dystopian literature has saturated the market, especially books with strong female leads, but the Harvest Saga is so well written and fantastically engaging that it draws you right in and you don’t even notice that you’re reading another dystopian female-protagonist book, you’re too busy turning pages.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on June 1st, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

Casey Bond’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Book Review: Resist (The Harvest Saga Book 2) by Casey L. Bond

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Resist (The Harvest Saga Book 2) by Casey L. Bond

A YA Dystopian Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (07/31/14)

Summary:

“Trust was earned, and they’d broken too many promises, told too many lies.” (Kindle Locations 7574-7575).

Abby is headed to the Greater city of Olympus with Crew. His lies and betrayal cause strain between them as Abby sees what is really going on with the “Harvest” and all the Lesser women that were taken from Orchard and the surrounding Lesser cities. When Abby gets out of Olympus, things aren’t much better in Orchard as anyone who speaks out is taken away for resistance. Resistance is coming, but in the meantime Abby must lay low.

Keywords:

Strength, Dystopia, Orchard, Apples, Apple Picking, Castes, Poverty, Female protagonist, the Special One, Infertility, Trains, City, Technological Advances, Weapons, Fighting, Resiliency, Harvest, Oppression

My Review:

This middle book in the trilogy flew by! I learned so much more about Crew and what the Greater cities were like. The oppression of Lessers isn’t restricted to Lesser cities, for of course Lessers are needed within Olympus as well. Just as oppression builds, so must resistance! This book is full of the mindsets that will lead to this resistance, even though it does look mighty bleak. What can unarmed lower-class citizens do against well armed and technologically advanced Greaters? Read to find out…

The characters, especially those surrounding Abby are given more depth in this book. I still can’t decide if I like Crew or not, if he’s truly a good person or not. I fear he will have to make a choice eventually and this will show for good whether he’s a good person, but I’ll have to wait to see. I was much less interested in Kyan than Crew in this book, but both are playing an integral role in Abby’s life and the greater plot and dilemma between Orchard and the Lessers and the world that they live in.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on July 31st, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Casey Bond’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Newsletter Signup – Free Link to download Vanessa’s Book of Awesome Things

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Book Review: Reap (The Harvest Saga Book 1) by Casey L. Bond

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Reap (The Harvest Saga Book 1) by Casey L. Bond

A YA Dystopian Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (03/15/14)

Summary:

In a society where people are divided into castes, Lessers and Greaters, Abby lives as a Lesser in a Lesser village: Orchard. Her life is simple: harvest from the orchard and work every day for the Greaters’ Good. She is content. She has her best friend Kyan and Lulu, the aunt that raised her. But the next harvest is too much for Orchard alone and more Lessers from surrounding villages are called in to help. Abby starts to fall for Crew from Cotton, but he isn’t all that he seems. Something is going on in Abby’s world and she’ll have to work out her feelings as well as work out what’s going on in Orchard.

Keywords:

Strength, Dystopia, Orchard, Apples, Apple Picking, Castes, Poverty, Female protagonist, the Special One, Infertility, Trains, City, Technological Advances, Weapons, Fighting, Resiliency, Harvest, Oppression

My Review:

Like any other caste separated society in dystopian literature, Reap is the story of the special strong female chosen one, but the storytelling and writing style are excellent and very compelling. They pulled me right in and I purchased the entire trilogy before I’d even finished this first book.

I loved all the details about the harvest and the apple orchards that really brought the town of Orchard to life. I wish there had been a bit more creativity and imagination in some of the naming, hence the town of “Orchard” but I was too mesmerized by the brewing trouble in town, the burgeoning romance between Abby and Crew, the complication that Kyan posed, and the greater mystery tied up in the Lesser towns.

I loved how Abby was strong, resilient, and stubborn to the point of stupidity. Her pride is so strong it overwhelms others. She is special for a reason, being both Greater and Lesser and not just in the right place at the right time, though that does help.

As with most YA books, I wish that females were not relegated into antiquated roles of society – the housewife and child bearer. Though the main character is the ‘strong female’ archetype, society at large is still somewhat sexist.

The ending felt rushed, but I didn’t much care because I was able to pick the story right back up with book two…

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on Marc 15th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

Casey Bond’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Book Review: The Doll Making Delta (Delta House Novels Book 1) by Gretchen S. B.

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The Doll Making Delta (Delta House Novels Book 1) by Gretchen S. B.

A Chic Lit/Romance Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (10/13/15)

Summary:

Reneé just wants to focus on her job as President of her company whilst they go through a merger. She works virtually every day all day without much of a break, except to meet up with her old college group the Deltas. When she goes on a date with Ruben, she is happier than she’s ever been, though no less busy. He seems to be working out until he suddenly cancels all their plans.

Keywords:

Romance, Stress, Hard Working, Dolls, President, Female President, Busy, Friendship, Dates, Merger, Business, Parent Company, Family, Family Business

My Review:

I love short books that are succinct and get the story across efficiently. This book is not one of them. Though the book is detailed, most of those details get swallowed up because they don’t move the plot forward or keep my interest as a reader. For being overdetailed, this book doesn’t show much of a relationship between the main character Reneé and Ruben or much of the intricacies of running a business.

I wanted more from the plot and the tension between Reneé and Ruben and between Reneé and her job. Stress does not equal tension.

The plot was quite predictable. I thought there were too many side characters (the Delta gals) to keep track of and grammar mistakes were apparent throughout most of the pages of this novel. I will not be reading more from this series.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on October 13th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 2.50

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Twitter

Gretchen S.B.’s Website

Foodie Fridays: Best Pie Ever – Youtube Video and Recipes

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Check out my youtube video HERE of me eating pie and talking about it! Don’t forget to subscribe for more videos about food, challenges, and books!

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Pie Crust from Martha Stewart – Recipe HERE

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS

  1. To make the dough for the pie crust, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  2. Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
  3. Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  4. To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Wrap around rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.
  5. Fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim.
  6. Crimp rim with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining dough; wrap each with plastic, stack, and freeze.

Pie filling from Grandma Ople – Recipe HERE

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (can use less)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup water (can substitute apple juice to compensate for less sugar)
  • 1/2 cup white sugar (can use less)
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (can use less)
  • 5-8 apples – peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
  2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
  3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Note – I used half the amount of sugar, half the amount of butter and substituted apple juice for the water when I made my second pie for a *healthier* version

Book Review: Undone by the Star by Stephanie Browning

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Outbid by the Boss by Stephanie Browning

A Contemporary Romance Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (4/03/16)

Summary:

“Alex was glad she’d never seen Marc’s films; it was the man she’d been attracted to, not the star.” (Kindle Locations 1420-1421).

Alexis Kirkwood has been groomed for her role as CEO of the great London Sadler Hotel. All her life she’s been in training for the role and she will let nothing get in the way of her inheritance. Understaffed, Alexis must keep the hotel running smoothly, even if it means directing the new plumber, or rather, the man she thinks is the new plumber. When Marc Daniels, action hero movie star is mistaken for a common laborer he goes along with the mistake, relishing the feelings of normalcy and being close to the attractive Alex. Alexis doesn’t appreciate making such a mistake and even though she is instantly attractive to the rugged Marc, she will have to step lightly around any relationship with a movie star if she’s to keep her hotel in good standing.

Keywords:

Hotel, CEO, Movie Star, Action Hero, Matriarch, Grandmother, Romance, Relationship, Discreet, Media

My Review:

The characters were interesting enough. They were their own persons apart from each other. Alex is a high profile up and coming CEO who can multi-task like it’s nobody’s business. Marc is the action star hero who secretly relishes history and beautiful scenery. They are not your everyday people, but they act realistic.

This story was fast and easy to read, but lacked external tension. Most of the tension came from the grounds of the relationship between Marc and Alex and the effect it would have on their careers, or mostly just Alex’s career as CEO of a prestigious hotel.

Their relationship was built from the start on instant attraction although the two lovers got to know each other more throughout the story. I wish there had been more depth to their attraction.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on April 3rd, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.50

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Stephanie Browning’s Website

Book Review: The Sapphire Legend, Part I by E. L. Tenenbaum

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The Sapphire Legend, Part I by E. L. Tenenbaum

A Fantasy Novel published by Melange Books – Fire and Ice Ya (08/27/15)

Summary:

“Kindness can make us weak, but it can also give us the strength to face another day.” (Kindle Location 3145).

In Sapere’s tribe, some families are gifted with supernatural abilities that pass from father to son. Sapere, a girl about to be married, has never told anybody that she inherited her father’s gift. On the day of her wedding, the tribe is attacked and she must use her abilities to help the survivors find refuge in the wild forest that borders her village. The Wild harbors its own dangers, but will the village’s traditions follow them into the wilderness or will they be able to forge a new life?

Keywords:

Tradition, Council, Tragedy, Death, Fighting, Fleeing, Wild, Survival, Forest, Predators, Camp, Injuries, Powers, Friendships, Family, Destruction, Gender Differences, Hunting, Loss

My Review:

This book is my favorite type of fantasy novel. I was in the mind and heart of the main character- living and breathing every catastrophe and every triumph with her. The story was strong and told well. The tale was fascinating and full of action and adventure. The world was new and intriguing, but still familiar. I couldn’t put down this story of destruction, hope, and new traditions.

Sapere was a relatable character, even though she has a power unlike others. She has a gift that, as a female, she’s not supposed to have. How Sapere uses her gift and how it sets her apart from the rest of her people, even those with other gifts, makes for a fascinating read. Sapere is not your average ‘chosen one.’ She is her own person.

This book even had romance and friendship. The story was realistic and kept me at the edge of my seat.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This novel was published by Melange Books – Fire and Ice Ya on August 27th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

E.L Tenenbaum’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Foodie Fridays: Apple Picking and Juicing and Bonus – Plums!

by in Foodie Fridays, Rachel Barnard and tagged ,

At our 4th annual Barnard Cider making extravaganza we made cider from all local apples/pears/plums. Check out the wrapup post from last year HERE.

Here are the trees we picked from:

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Our haul of around 125 pounds of apples

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I used my juicer on half the plums (about 175 of them to make 14 cups of juice) and the pears (3 medium sized mason jars). I also juiced some other local apples we’d picked the week prior.

20160828_ApplePicking&Juicing (5) 20160828_ApplePicking&Juicing (1)

Here is our process:

Step 1: Wash the apples and get rid of (compost) the mealy gross ones

Step 2 (Pictured Below): Cut up the apples into pieces

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Step 3: Vitamix the apple pieces into a puree

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Step 4: Place apple puree into cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice or use an apple press

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Step 5: funnel juice into bottles gathered over the year

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Book Review: The Fair & Foul (Project Gene Assist Book 1) by Allie Potts

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The Fair & Foul (Project Gene Assist Book 1) by Allie Potts

A Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel published by Axil Hammer Publishing (11/4/15)

Summary:

Juliane is a PHD scientist who wants to change the world with her algorithms. Everything she loves in life centers around her work and being recognized for what she’s done. When her career is everything to her, will she be able to set aside her pride to continue working on collaborative projects where she won’t get the credit she’s due?

Keywords:

Cyberpunk, Genetic Engineering, Female Main Character, Science and Technology, Technological Advances, Body Modification, Evolution, Progress, Vision, Future, Workaholic, Lack of Empathy, Romance, Love, Lust

My Review:

This novel reminded me of the dangers of advancing too fast as a species with technology, like the story in the Mind Space Series by David Moore. The Fair and the Foul reminded me a lot of the Mind Space Series due to its time jumps in the story to show the breadth of the technological advances.

The ending was a bit abrupt, but I was so glad all the hints were fully explained. I wouldn’t have understood what was really going on without the big ending reveal.

The way the technology was referenced was a bit over my head, but I really enjoyed its grounding in real technology and the fact that the scientists seemed to really know what they were talking about.

What gripped me most about this book was the depth of the relationships between the characters and the complexity of these relationships. Juliane’s constant struggles as a top female scientist in a male-driven environment were fascinating and unfortunately very true.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This novel was published by Axil Hammer Publishing on November 4th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.50

Links for more information:

Allie Potts’ Website

Goodreads

Twitter