Book Review - "Hinch Yourself Happy" by Mrs. Hinch (#19 - 2019)

Hinch Yourself Happy: All The Best Cleaning Tips To Shine Your Sink and Soothe Your Soul by Mrs. Hinch

I listened to this book on Labor Day while cleaning the house (duh) and I LOVED it so much.  If you don't follow Mrs. Hinch on Instagram then I just don't know what you are doing.  She's awesome.  Lots of cleaning tips and tricks and just overall cleaning inspiration.  This book is part autobiography part cleaning manual and just overall warm and fun.  The only frustration I have with following her is that I can't find most of the cleaning products she uses (and swears by) here in the US (she's in the UK).  Totally would recommend!

Book Review - "Same Beach, Next Year" by Dorothea Benton Frank (#18 - 2019)

Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank

Worth noting that I finished this book about a week before Dorothea Benton Frank passed away on 9/2/2019, such a bummer, I really enjoy her books and I hate that we won't get another.

This is the story of two couples, Adam and Eliza and Eve and Carl, who meet during Summer vacation and follows them through two decades.  Adam and Eve were high school sweethearts.  There's a little jealousy at first with Carl and Eve but all of that is soon forgotten over the years.  Or is it?  This book was okay, not her best, it took me a long time to get through it because I didn't really like any of the characters (well, I did enjoy the part where Eliza was in her mother's native Greece, in fact that would have been a better book).  Anyway, pick one of her other books before this one.

Book Review - "The New Glamour" by Jeff Andrews (#17 - 2019)

The New Glamour: Interiors with Star Quality by Jeff Andrews

If you buy one coffee table decorating/interiors book, buy this one.  Seriously, it's that good.  I was lucky enough to meet Jeff and talk with him a bit at High Point Furniture Market.  He's so nice and really interesting and, being a fan of his work, I enjoyed speaking with him.  I even got my book signed (yay!):

Book Review - "Mera: Tidebreaker" illustrated by Stephen Byrne (#16 - 2019)

Mera: Tidebreaker illustrated by Stephen Byrne

Really liked this graphic novel about Princess Mera who is a teenager and heir to the throne.  Mera overhears of a plan to overthrow the King so she makes it her mission to kill the long-lost Prince and heir to the kingdom of Atlantis.  He's been hidden away on land for all of his life.  It's a good story and really well illustrated.  Would recommend.

Book Review - "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman (#15 - 2019)

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Ove is a curmudgeon, but beneath his cranky exterior is a man who is sad and has a very interesting story.  One day he meets a young couple that have just moved in next door, they have two young girls.  What follows is a story of unexpected friendship that is truly heartwarming.  I highly recommend this book, it's a little slow start but there are lots of feels inside.  

Book Review - "The Home Edit" by Clea Shearer & Joanna Teplin (#14 -2019)

The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals by Clea Shearer & Joanna Teplin

A beautiful book full of lovely pictures and organization goals.  And that's about it.  Not a lot of instructions, absolutely no buying guide, references as to what bins/storage/tools they use.  That was the most frustrating thing,  I wanted to know where I could get these tools.  It's a fine book, but if you want more of an instructional organization reference, there are a lot better ones out there.  

Book Review - "The Royal We" by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan (#13 - 2019)

The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

This follows Bex Porter, an American who is studying abroad at Oxford.   Her twin sister Lacey was always the romantic one who dreamt of being a Princess, etc.  Bex is more of a tomboy who loves adventure.  Bex finds herself living across the hall from Nick who just happens to be the heir to the throne.  The story is told as sort of a series of flashbacks on the eve of her wedding to Nick.  Okay, I really had high hopes about this "inspired by William and Kate" story but it was so darn boring and dumb I abandoned it halfway through.  It just was not interesting at all.  Just skip this one.

Book Review - "Silent Night" by Danielle Steel (#12 - 2019)

Silent Night by Danielle Steel

Paige Watts’s daughter 9 year old daughter Emma is on a hit show and Paige is the ultimate stagemom. Paige has Emma’s whole career planned out and has her in every activity that will help her reach that goal. However a tragic accident changes all of that.  Emma now has to live with her psychologist Aunt Whitney. Whitney has never married or had children and her world is turned upside down. 

Would recommend, it’s a quick read, great for Summer. 

Book Review - "Ladies' Night" by Mary Kay Andrews (#11 - 2019)

Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews

Grace Stanton is a very successful lifestyle blogger, she creates the content and her husband runs the business side.  They live in a beautiful house and have a wonderful life.  Until Grace catches her husband cheating.  She is then locked out of her home, blog and life and ordered by the court to go to "divorce therapy" every week.  In therapy she meets a cast of characters and they decide to meet after therapy sessions at Grace's mother's bar and they swap stories, help each other out and try to find closure in their own way.  This was a fun read, easy, nothing too deep and would be a great vacation book!

Review - Hello Fresh

Though I do make and plan almost all our meals at home (we usually get takeout only once a week), sometimes I get in a rut and just want some new ideas as well as trying new ingredients that I might not use/think about.  That's where a meal delivery box comes in handy.  So I decided to try out Hello Fresh when a coupon crossed my path (see bottom of this post for a coupon code for you to use if interested).  The box arrives the cold stuff is on the bottom with cold packs and the rest of the ingredients are in individual boxes for each recipe along with recipe cards. I just put it all in the refrigerator.

Here's what was in my first box:

Italian Ciabatta Burgers with Sweet-and-Tangy Salad

A peek inside the box once opened.

Everything all spread out

The finished product!  This was soooo good, in fact I've made it again.

The next recipe was Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Lemony Potato and Zucchini Hash.  This one was pretty good, I'm not a huge pork tenderloin fan, but the hash was so good.

From another box a chicken, green bean and rice meal that was delicious!

If you are interested in trying out Hello Fresh for yourself, use this link and my code BZ7S52 to get $40 off your first box!  It's a great deal! #referralcode

This post wasn't sponsored or anything, I just wanted to share my honest experience and impression.

Book Review - "Balancing In Heels" by Kristin Cavallari (#10 -2019)

Balancing in Heels: My Journey to Health, Happiness, and Making It All Work by Kristin Cavallari

Picked this book up on a whim and read it in a few hours.  Nothing Earth shattering or too deep here, just a decent overview of her history along with some beauty and fashion tips.  Some decent exercise routines and recipes too.  I enjoyed it, didn't take a bunch away from it, but it's worth reading.

Book Review - "Born to Be Brad: My Life and Style, So Far" by Brad Goreski (#9 - 2019)

Born to Be Brad: My Life and Style, So Far by Brad Goreski

I've loved Brad ever since the first season of "The Rachel Zoe Project" so I decided to pick this book up when I saw it.  It was a very enjoyable read, I loved finding out how he got to where he is now.  He's frank and honest about his childhood and his issues with addiction.  I really liked him more after reading this and he just seems like a nice person.  I would totally recommend this book!

Book Review - "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak (#8 - 2019)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I didn't know quite what to expect when I read this book.  I didn't read it 10+ years ago when it came out and I have not seen the movie.  The book is told through the eyes of Death.  Okay that sounds very morbid and depressing but it's not, I swear.  But it took me a few pages to figure it out.  The story focuses on a foster girl named Liesel who lives with her foster parents outside of Munich, Germany right as WWII is underway.  Liesel is the "book thief", her foster father teaches her to read and she becomes obsessed with books.  It's a very good book, however it can get a little hard to follow sometimes. I would recommend it.

Book Review - "Of Blood and Bone: Chronicles of The One, Book 2" by Nora Roberts (#7 - 2019)

Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts

The second book in The One series. This follows Fallon Swift through her teen years and her training in the magical arts so she can face the dark forces still terrorizing the world. This one was okay, I’m still not all in on this witches/elves/fairy stuff (I’m kind of tired of it).  

See the review of Book 1 here

Book Review - "Year One: Chronicles of The One, Book 1" by Nora Roberts (#6 - 2019)

Year One: Chronicles of The One, Book 1 by Nora Roberts

It all starts on New Year's Eve.  A sickness spreads like wildfire and chaos ensues.  Within weeks over half the world's population is wiped out, governments collapse, infrastructure is gone.  Unimaginable evil has been unleashed.  This book follows several groups trying to make their way to a safe place.  They don't know who they can trust and some have sprouted new "abilities".  The typical dark vs. light/good vs. evil storyline.  It's interesting, not riveting, not fantastic, but a solid story that I read in 2 days.  I'm a little over the witches/elves/fairies stuff though, it's getting tired overall.  But I'm still going to finish this series, Book 2 is up next for me.

Book Review - "A Simplified Life" by Emily Ley (#5 - 2019)

A Simplified Life by Emily Ley 

First, this is a gorgeous book.  It's simple, very simple, which is not a bad thing at all.  In fact it's simplicity is the appeal for me.  This is not an "in depth" guide, it's a basic guide that is easy to understand and covers everything from decluttering to finances to taking care of yourself.  This is a great "starter" book if you are looking to begin simplifying your life.  Would make a wonderful gift, especially for a graduate (high school or college)!

Book Review - "Reshaping It All" by Candace Cameron Bure (#4 - 2019)

Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure

Part memoir, part motivational and spiritual guide.  She shares her struggles with her weight throughout the years and how she overcame them and now leads a very strong/healthy/faithful life now.  I found this book helpful and interesting.  I liked it and would recommend it.

Book Reveiw - "Fall from Grace" by Danielle Steel (#3 - 2019)

Fall from Grace - by Danielle Steel

Sydney Wells was a successful fashion designer, but she gave all that up when she married a successful, wealthy businessman.  They lived a happy, lavish life until he suddenly dies.  She’s now a widow at 49.  Unfortunately, he didn’t add Sydney to his will or make any financial arrangements for her.  His adult daughters hate her so they kick her out of the house they now own, leaving her with next to nothing.  By chance she meets someone that gives her a job back in the fashion industry.  However he’s shady and sets her up in a bad import deal and she now faces jail time.  How will she rebuild her life and reputation?  I liked this book a lot.  Easy, quick read!

Book Review - "Bauchamp Hall" by Danielle Steel (#2 - 2019)

Beauchamp Hall by Danielle Steel

Winnie Farmington lives in a small town north of Detroit.  When she was younger she had big dreams about moving to NYC and working in publishing.  Unfortunately her mother got sick and she had to put her college studies on hold and move home to care for her.  That was over 15 years ago.  She’s stuck in a dead-end job and in a dead-end relationship.  She is gifted a DVD copy of a popular British, period TV series set on a grand Norfolk estate.  Binge watching it during her vacation, she’s entranced by the time period, the acting, the costumes, everything.  Then she’s faced with a terrible betrayal and she makes an impulsive decision to go and visit the town/estate where the show is filmed.  This proves to be life changing in every way!  I loved this book so much and read it in a day!  Would totally recommend!

Book Review - "Always Pack a Party Dress" by Amanda Brooks (#1 - 2019)

Always Pack a Party Dress by Amanda Brooks

This is a beautiful book full of lovely pictures.  That being said, it was not my favorite fashion memoir out there.  Interesting, yes, but kind of underwhelming.  Just a collection of stories about how Amanda Brooks came into the fashion business (*spoiler alert* - coming from an incredibly privileged background helps a lot!).  Nothing I do, or have ever done/experienced, could relate to anything she talked about.  Being invited to the Met Ball and fretting over wardrobe is not something 99.999% of us can empathize with.  So I would just skip this one.  There are much better memoirs out there!

Book Review - "The Sins of the Mother" by Danielle Steel (#17 - 2018)

The Sins of the Mother - by Danielle Steel

Olivia Grayson runs a very successful worldwide home store chain.  She built the business with the help of her accountant husband for decades.  This meant that her mom and husband mostly raised their children while she spent hours in the office.  Her husband passed away over a decade ago and she’s looking to make up time with her grown children.  She has been doing this by scheduling a lavish holiday every year.    This year the vacation is on a luxury yacht in the Riviera.  All of her kids (but one) and their spouses and their children are together.  But family dynamics, old resentments and new bonds are formed.  It’s a summer of lessons learned, lives reassessed and breakthroughs.  It’s an interesting read.  I will say this book really illustrates Danielle Steel’s bad habit of rehashing phrases and repeating of descriptions.  It’s like they didn’t edit it and kept in some of the outline of the story.  If that makes sense.  But just so you know it’s really bad in the book.  

Book Review - "Staying Stylish" by Candace Cameron Bure (#16 - 2018)

Staying Stylish by Candace Cameron Bure

Nothing groundbreaking with this book, but it’s a great choice if you are looking for an overall basic clothing/style/beauty/fitness book.  It’s lovely to look at, good information and I always enjoy a ribbon bookmark.  Candace is likable and relatable and the tips she gives are solid.  Totally recommend.  Also, this would make a great gift!