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My Secret Recipes by Pixie Publishing House (Book Review)


RECORD ALL YOUR SECRET RECIPES: This Blank Recipe Book is perfect for recording all your favourite recipes. It is beautifully designed, easy to use, well-organized, and includes large spaces to write in. You can write down your most loved recipes.

CUSTOMIZED RECIPE PAGES: Each Recipe page includes the Recipe Name, Number of Servings, Prep Time, Cook Time, Ingredients, Instructions and Notes which makes it easy to write down your most loved recipes in one place so you can create and share them in years to come.

BLANK RECIPE BOOK FEATURES:
Premium Matte Color Cover, space to record your most loved recipes, extra space for Notes- such as recipe source, tips and tricks etc.

GREAT GIFT IDEA: Lovely Gift or Present for foodies, cooks, friends, spouse, wife, husband, dad, mom, brother, or sister for Birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Holidays & Christmas.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

We all, at some point, need inspiration on what to cook. Pictures of what people are eating and how-to videos for preparing different cuisines are hot commodities.  

If you’re lucky, you have a family recipe book that houses delicious food passed down from one generation to the next. Whether you have a book, binder, or recipe box full of recipes or want to start one of your own, I’d consider using My Secret Recipes by Pixie Publishing House. This cooking journal lets you store seventy-five recipes in one location.

Each card has basic information: recipe name, ingredients, and directions. There was also a serving size chat and preparation time. While this was standard information for a card, I was pleasantly surprised to see there was a place to mark which category the recipe falls under: vegetarian, dairy-free, low carb, sugar-free, and low salt. There are countless diets and dietary restrictions on the market, so this check box area benefits those seeking a specific recipe to fit their nutritional needs, families, and guests. 

Another feature that impressed me was the star rating. Have you ever looked through your recipe box and tried to remember if the food was a hit or miss? Was there an aspect of said recipe that needed tweaking? If so, this portion allows short notes. For instance, you could shade 3 out of five stars and add “too spicy” or “bland” under the rating system. 

My Secret Recipes would make an excellent housewarming gift. It would also be a fantastic idea for birthdays, bridal showers, Christmas, etc. It’s perfect for any gender, age, avid cooks, and individuals looking to spend more time in the kitchen and less on take-out. 

I recommend you purchase a copy for yourself and another for a friend or family member. And remember, “A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe (Thomas Keller).”

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤

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Click HERE to be redirected to Pixie Publishing House’s website. 

 

 

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A Very Merry Margarita Mix-Up by Brittanee Nicole (Book Spotlight)

They say don’t kiss your best friend. I accidentally kissed her twin sister.

Jules and Hailey Milsom couldn’t be more different. Except they’re identical twins.

One is my best friend. The other is the new girl in town, searching for a family she never knew existed.

It’s just my luck that when I finally make a move on my best friend, I share the best kiss of my life with a stranger.

Any sane person would realize this is hopeless. But when the red-haired beauty needs a reason to stay in Bristol, I double down and try to make every one of her Christmas dreams come true.

And I kiss her…again and again.

But the one thing she really wants, a relationship with her twin, may be the one Christmas wish I can’t deliver.

And this mix-up may be nothing more than a mistake.

Authors Note: A Very Merry Margarita Mix-Up is a steamy standalone set in Bristol Bay that features a cinnamon roll firefighter, a sweet baker, small town shenanigans and all the Christmas joy your heart can handle.

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Meet the Author

Brittanee is an author who lives in New England with her husband and two children. Her town is a character in itself in all of her books. When she is not writing she enjoys spending time outdoors by the water with her children, reading at the beach or by the pool (or really anywhere), dancing with her friends, singing Karaoke, spinning, bike riding and boating. Some of her favorite authors are Sophia Kinsella, Elin Hilderbrand, Liane Moriarty, Mary Higgins Clark, Meghan Quinn, Daphne Elliott, Amy Alves, Claire Kingsley, Melanie Harlow, Christina Lauren, Sally Thorne and Sarah Adams. Clearly, she has a problem and can’t pick favorites.

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Home Sweet Christmas: A Holiday Romance Novel by Susan Mallery (Book Spotlight)

“The perfect holiday confection.”—Booklist

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes a witty and heartfelt story of two friends who unexpectedly find the person-and the place in which-they belong this Christmas.

With twinkling humor and heartfelt Christmas spirit, two friends find love in a town called Wishing Tree…

Until Camryn Neff can return to her “real” life in Chicago, she’s in Wishing Tree to care for her twin sisters. She’s not looking for forever love, not here. But handsome hotelier Jake Crane is a temptation she can’t resist, so she suggests they pair up for the season. No golden rings, no broken hearts. At his side, she sees her hometown through Christmas-colored eyes. The cheer is cheerier, the joy more joyful. She thought she had put her future on hold…but maybe her real life was here all along, waiting for her to come home.

New in town, River Best is charmed by Wishing Tree’s homespun traditions and warmhearted people. When she’s crowned Snow Queen, she’s honored but wary. Dylan Tucker, her king, seems like the stuff of sugarplum dreams, but she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something big. As they perform their “royal” duties—tasting cookies, lighting trees—Dylan’s good humor and melty kisses draw her to the brink of love. But she can’t let herself fall until she uncovers his secret, even if her lack of faith means losing him forever.

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🎁 Click HERE to read an excerpt! 🎁

 

 

Meet the Author

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women’s lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on “the new queen of romantic fiction.” (Walmart) Booklist says, “Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling,” and RT Book Reviews puts her “in a class by herself!”

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her popular series, the Fool’s Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, a ragdoll cat, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

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How Lucky Am I? by Brittney Spencer (Book Review)


A tender affirmation of love and gratitude for a new child.

A new baby is a beautiful wonder for all parents, effectuating a love they never knew possible. How Lucky Am I? is a precious rhyming story that relays the anticipation, adoration, and thanksgiving for a cherished child.

The reader is taken through a variety of poignant scenes including a parent’s contemplation of her baby’s upcoming arrival, the wonder of her new child, and the joy of cherishing each day and milestone as he or she grows. Cheerful and lightsome illustrations evoke the happiness of the story. A rhyming text and repetitive title phrase make the book a delightful read-aloud.

As we lie in our hammock
Counting stars in the sky,
I quietly whisper,
“How lucky am I?”

Evocative of special occasion classics such as Guess How Much I Love You, Pat the Bunny, and Love You Forever, Brittney Spencer’s How Lucky Am I is an inspirational and loving story for families to read together.

Why readers love How Lucky Am I?:

  • A perfect keepsake for any gift-giving milestone such as a baby shower, birth of a baby, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, or simply to share a loving message.
  • Parents and children alike will relate to and take comfort in this love note for a child. Perfect for little readers ages 0-6.
  • The story is relatable for grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Inclusive for all families.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

We, meaning parents, want our child(ren) to start their life healthy. Even before birth, we count down the days until we meet them. The closer we come to the due date nervousness and excitement are coursing our body. When we see our baby on the screen or in person for the first time, we instinctively count their fingers and toes. We also ask, “Are they okay?”

When my children were born, I would stare at them for hours, amazed they were here, in person, with me. I would sniff their head, loving that new baby smell. I would watch them sleep and smile when they did an involuntary grin.

As they grew, we made many memories together. I enjoyed every one of their firsts: crawl, step, word, eating table food, etc. Like the mother in How Lucky Am I? by Brittney Spencer, I felt blessed to have this little person in my life and experience the world through their inquisitive eyes.

When my children were born, I wrote them a letter stating (roughly) the things the author wrote about in their story: “may your dreams all come true” and I’ll always support you.” Children need food, clothing, and shelter, but they want their parent’s love and support. I can tell the author loves her child very much. You are both blessed to have one another.

As wonderful as this story is, and it truly is, the illustrations elevated it to another level. Christina Michalos’s lovely images made me reflect upon all the moments I’ve shared with my children. We also have a hammock and lounge it in on cooler nights.

How Lucky Am I? by Brittney Spencer would make an excellent baby shower gift. It would also make a wonderful gift to a child with a new sibling joining the house soon.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

About the Author

For children’s book author Brittney Spencer, writing poems was an outlet to express how she felt during times of both hardship and joy. When her daughter was born, she was inspired to create a story that celebrates the wonder of a new child and their bond with a parent.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

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What’s Wrong with This Picture? 12 Days Before Christmas TOO by Roni Robbins (Book Review)

This rhyming read and seek story is based on the 12 Days of Christmas carol. From twelve drummers drumming to one partridge in a pear tree, children will enjoy finding ten things wrong in each of these Christmas scenes. There are things to do and see. “But something is wrong. Or is it just me?”

Searching through our beautiful illustrations introduces basic skills children can build upon as they learn and grow. Read and seek books stimulates the child’s brain as they evaluate and determine things out of place. It enhances critical thinking, vocabulary, memory and builds their cognitive skills.

Don’t forget read and seek books just adds a little more fun to reading as they look, point and try to find all things wrong, out of place, or just silly in these Christmas scenes. The bright colors and interactive story grabs the child’s attention and entertains them away from screens. They are a form of fun that can be portable and does not require charging, batteries or cords. This entertaining read-and-seek book is perfect for engaging with young readers but great for all ages.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

What’s Wrong with This Picture? 12 Days Before Christmas Too by DJ and Roni Robbins is an interactive story loosely based on the “12 Days of Christmas” song. I love interactive books because they allow my children to be engrossed in the happenings, not just sitting there as I read them a story. Seek/find and spot the difference books are household favorites. 

What’s Wrong with This Picture? 12 Days Before Christmas Too had a blend of easy and more challenging out-of-place items for a child to locate. If they get stumped, there is an answer key in the back of the book. The answer key wasn’t consistent in design, though. Some answers were colored in black, and some were outlined in red. Other answer cards had mistakes circled, then ones blackened and circled. Every answer card was mainly black and white except for “8 Maids -a- Milking,” which was in full color. I would suggest making them the same style. 

My kiddos were confused about how many mistakes they had to find on each image. Maybe making a small note under each photo will clear up confusion. 

From a design point of view, I like the creative ways the team wrote the various days of Christmas. Example: wrench in place of an “i’s” and words in different script sizes, fonts, and colors. These small touches made the words pop off the pages. 

When I submitted my review to Reedsy, I didn’t have a baseline for the author’s recommended audience. I would target preschoolers and elementary school-age children for the hands-on activity. The text is not difficult to understand, so elementary students should be able to read the book solo. I only recall one word that might prove confusing to young minds: infinity. But, this is a great time to broaden their vocabulary. 

Review submitted to Reedsy on 8/8/22. 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

Amazon Purchase Link

 

Meet the Author

DJ and Roni Robbins is a mom and son author team, writing fun and easy to read children’s books for early readers. Roni, married 25+ years with 2 adult children, 2 grand daughters and a 5 year old son DJ, who was the inspiration for their first published book. DJ likes buildings and hot wheels.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

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