third century rome.

Today I'm taking you back. WAY back to AD 235 in Harry Sidebottom's new series, Throne of the Caesars. Book 1 titled, Iron & Rust opens on a surprise attack and the brutal murder of Emperor Alexander and his mother. Alexander is then replaced by Maximinus Thrax, and our story really begins. I definitely wouldn't call it a light read, and I didn't love the characters for obvious reasons. But the Roman politics sure were entertaining, mildly shocking, but entertaining. The second installment of the trilogy is already out, so you should start your binge reading now.

not your everyday mystery.

Set at the close of the 19th century, Arden is a famous FEMALE illusionist who is being accused of her husband's murder. She has one night to prove her innocence. And that my friends, is The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister. A breath of fresh air really, extremely well-written, and filled with twists unlike any novel I have read recently. The story goes back and forth between Arden telling her tale and the point of view of Officer Holt who arrested her. Honestly? I preferred Arden's narrative. Her life story and everything that has happened to her up until that point absorbed all of my attention. I ate, slept and dreamt this novel, until the end. Still worth the read, but the end did feel a little rushed.

kick ass giveaway.

Win a FREE copy of the super delicious Einkorn: Recipes for Nature's Original Wheat!

 

 

 

 

....all you have to do is email your name, address, and this book title to: jenileerose@yahoo.com to enter!

Giveaway ends on 1/15 at midnight!

Good luck :)

 

girl meets painting.

Since turning thirty, I have tried to let go of my preference for twenty-something heroines and embrace the thrity-somethings. Meet thirty-one year old chef, Annie McDee. As Annie searches for the perfect gift for her boyfriend at a thrift store, only to be stood up at his birthday dinner, she is left with a broken heart, and what turns out to be a long lost painting. The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild (as her debut novel) takes readers deep inside the London art scene. And once Annie discovers what she lost has so little value compared to what she's found, the story really gets good.

how to make your marriage happy.

Being a wife is the hardest job I have ever had. And that says a lot since I work with kids of all ages in the classroom and behind the camera. One of my New Year's resolutions is to work on bettering my role in my marriage. Over the last year and a half I have learned that marriage is give and take, but to make it work, it's mostly give. And giving is so hard sometimes. I found Dr. Karl Pillemer's 30 Lessons for Loving: Advice from the Wisest Americans on Love, Relationships, and Marriage to be extremely helpful, especially the parts on how to talk to your spouse without allowing the conflict to get the better of you. So much of this collection of advice spoke to me, because the struggle is REAL sometimes, and it's nice to know that people have gone through a lot of what I'm going through right now, it makes me feel less crazy. Now to implement it in my house...

keeping meals colorful.

Everybody who knows remotely anything about me knows that Mexican food is my spirit animal. Since the start of the new year, I have been trying to clean up my diet a bit and would really like to add more meatless meals to the menu. Decolonize Your Diet: Plant-Based Mexican-American Recipes for Health and Healing by Luz Calvo and Catriona Rueda Esquibel is beyond perfect for me as it includes traditional and delicious Mexican recipes, without the meat. I mean, as long as I can still have tacos I'm good with pretty much anything. The recipes scale from homemade tortillas to Pumpkin Mole so there's really something for every skill level. A beautiful history is revealed throughout the pages and every recipe is fresh, colorful, and good for your body.

for your little olympian.

Okay, not that I'm a parent or have a lot to say on the matter, but I do have friends who are parents and I know that my mom-friends are way more focused on what they are eating than what their kids are eating. Not that I blame them. Children reek havoc on the bod. But children do have their own nutritional needs, especially active children. Ages 8-18, bodies are changing, and I never knew important adolescent nutrition is until I read Eat Like a Champion: Performance Nutrition for Your Young Athlete by Jill Castle.

Castle is a registered dietitian and touches on pre-game and post-game refueling with the types of foods that will keep your children energized and help them gain muscle. Her advice is practical, giving you advice on what to feed your sporty spice and when. Castle is very specific on the do's and don'ts of adolescent nutrition, including carbo-loading and supplements. And being a specialist, you can trust her.