Review/ Guardians Inc The Cypher

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guardiansinc
Title: Guardians Inc.: The Cypher
Author: Julian Rosado-Machain
Publisher: Julian Rosado-Machain
Pages: 239
Genre: YA Fantasy Adventure
Format: Paperback, Kindle

Source: I was provided a ebook copy of this book for review.

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER is two stories in one. A glimpse into a multinational company that is in reality the oldest of secret societies, one that spans close to seven thousand years of existence, weaving in and out of history, guiding and protecting humanity from creatures and forces that most of us believe are only mythology and fairy tales.

The other is the story of Thomas Byrne, a young man thrust into secrets he shouldn’t be aware of and dangers he shouldn’t face but, that he ultimately will, for he is a Cypher. The only one who can steer humanity’s future.

The ultimate conspiracy theory is that Magic is real. Kept in check by technology but, every five hundred years the balance can shift and, if it does, technology will fail and those creatures we’ve driven into myth will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future, and to unlock the future they need a Cypher.

This is the first book of the Guardians Inc Series.

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When I first saw the email for this I wasn’t quite sure if I would want to read this or not but I did because I was looking for something a little different to read and perhaps to get back into the reviewing groove again and this kind of peake my interest.

I am so happy that I did read this because I did enjoy this and I think this might be something that Michael might possibly enjoy as well. He doesn’t want to read it right now because I think the cover scares him and I did tell him that its not scary but I think he will have to decide that on his own.

Trust me the cover is scary then the book  itself is.

The story in itself was really good and I think the tweens will enjoy this because the story is interesting and moves at a really good pace that will suck you in and want to continue reading it. This is a really good fantasy book and I will tell you that because I am not a huge fantasy fan or reader.

Thomas is a 15 year old boy who just discovers that the cruise ships his parents were on has vanished. His grandfather, MOrgan has taken him in. My heart broke for Thomas because not only was he dealing with the news about his parents but he is also getting bullied at school. This breaks my heart because I hate hearing about kids who get bullied by others. So in this situation Thomas ends up getting suspended from school which could be a life saver for him. During his suspension Thomas stumbles up an ad for an assistant librarian with a very odd company.

Accepting this job changes everything Thomas ever thought he knew about life and the world. What magical things could possibly happen?

I think my favorite part was when Thomas got to work in the Guardians Inc library. Its the biggest library in the entire world that has every book know to man in there and the Guardians have kept it hidden. How much fun would it be to get locked in there? Its a dream of mine.

I can’t wait for book two to come out.

Book Spotlight/ Guardians Inc The Cypher

Guardians-banner-2
guardiansinc

 

Title: Guardians Inc.: The Cypher
Author: Julian Rosado-Machain
Publisher: Julian Rosado-Machain
Pages: 239
Genre: YA Fantasy Adventure
Format: Paperback, Kindle

Purchase: Amazon US and Amazon Canada (This is currently available for free)

 

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER is two stories in one. A glimpse into a multinational company that is in reality the oldest of secret societies, one that spans close to seven thousand years of existence, weaving in and out of history, guiding and protecting humanity from creatures and forces that most of us believe are only mythology and fairy tales.The other is the story of Thomas Byrne, a young man thrust into secrets he shouldn’t be aware of and dangers he shouldn’t face but, that he ultimately will, for he is a Cypher. The only one who can steer humanity’s future.

The ultimate conspiracy theory is that Magic is real. Kept in check by technology but, every five hundred years the balance can shift and, if it does, technology will fail and those creatures we’ve driven into myth will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future, and to unlock the future they need a Cypher.

This is the first book of the Guardians Inc Series.

PUYB-Meet-the-Author

guardiansincauthor
Julian Rosado-Machain has enjoyed pizza in three continents, worked in graphic design, armored vehicles, built computers, handcrafted alebrijes and swears that he has seen at least one ghost.
He lives in San Diego, California. And enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.
His latest book is the YA fantasy adventure, Guardians Inc.: The Cypher.
Visit his website at www.guardiansinc.com.

bookexcerpt

First Chapter:

Vice Principal Killjoy
       Thomas fiddled with his thumbs waiting for his grandfather to emerge from his meeting with Vice Principal “Killjoy” Khanna.
He hadn’t come up with that nickname; it was something he had heard since his first day at Oceanic High School, in Carlsbad, California. It was whispered along the corridors and classrooms with dread, like a monster under the bed. If you did something wrong, Killjoy would get you.
 Even the adults knew about her infamy. Morning drop-offs at school were always a chaotic cutthroat race until Killjoy took command of the school’s entrance. Holding a metal notepad in one hand and a large coffee mug in the other, Killjoy gained control of the drop-off zone. As parents cautiously drove through the parking lot, a mere frown stopped those who wanted to cut in line. A wave of the metal notepad dissuaded those who wanted to drive into the teacher’s parking lot. Her system was very simple: students wouldn’t be admitted to school that day if their parents tried to cut in line. Simple as that.
Killjoy always wore a long overcoat over a buttoned knitted sweater, even in the summer. Her haters compared her to a barrel with legs, but many of the girls were jealous of the wavy black hair that reached her lower back and her thin manicured hands. Nobody had seen her eyes — she always wore huge sunglasses that covered half her face — but it was rumored that her eyes were the blackest black.
She was shorter than the average sophomore girl, so it was easy for her to walk among students undetected during recess, and she was silent too, like a tiger stalking prey. Someone had found out that her shoe size was around 12 or 13, but Killjoy wore rubber-soled shoes and walked in a short step gait.
In those first two weeks, Thomas had been startled three times by her sudden appearance. Only the first time had she acknowledged his presence by nodding her head at him, her chin embedding itself deeply into her large double chin.
That simple nod was enough for an introduction.
There was a story about how Killjoy stopped a speeding SUV by standing in front of it and putting her hand on the grill of the car. The incident happened before Thomas even entered school, and he knew it must have been an exaggeration, but the story went that two days later, the family who was driving the SUV moved from the county.
Or so it was rumored.
Parents avoided her, teachers respected her, and students were completely terrified of her. In a nutshell, the school was completely under Killjoy’s iron grip. The principal seemed happy to be just a figurehead, the school ran like clockwork, and there were no problems between him and Killjoy since Killjoy was always right.
Everyone told Thomas to avoid her, but he was now on her radar.
Thomas shifted in his seat, swinging his legs back and forth. He stared at Killjoy’s closed door. He shivered.  This was his first visit to her office, and since he had just transferred from Ohio, the Killjoy legend hadn’t really sunk in. A boy from his class had called him a “farm boy” in front of a group of girls, and although he had let that one slip by, he couldn’t ignore “hick,” “redneck,” and all the other names that followed. He dropped his backpack and immediately a ring of onlookers gathered.
The other boy, Roger Hill, was large and strong, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was three inches taller than Thomas, and his shoulders were many inches wider. Roger was a linebacker on the school’s football team.
 Thomas was the complete opposite – always on the skinny side, with black hair and brown eyes. But three years in Tae Kwon Do earned him a red belt and third place in Ohio’s junior open. Of course, nobody knew that, and Roger found out the hard way.
Thomas didn’t throw the first punch; he tried to talk first, but when the punches came he made sure to throw the last kick, and then the next one, and the next one, as Roger’s teammates jumped in to help their linebacker. Thomas was in a trance – fighting – and zooming in on one of Roger’s friends when the circle of onlookers opened and Killjoy entered the arena.
With a wave of her notepad, Killjoy dissolved the spectators and assessed the situation. Everyone was silent. Thomas tried to catch his breath.
“You three,” she said in a thick Hindu accent, “to the principal.” Then she turned to Thomas and pointed with her coffee mug. “You, follow me.”
Thomas picked up his backpack and followed the short, plump woman through the school hallways. All the kids looked at him with pity; some even waved goodbye.
With a little kick, Killjoy opened her office door and led Thomas inside. She pointed to a chair across from her desk and waited for him to sit down before plopping in her chair. She intertwined her fingers and leaned over her desk, staring at Thomas.
Thomas tried to keep his cool and held her gaze while he counted in silence. He’d never been prone to get into trouble. He was never singled out for anything other than for his prowess in Tae Kwon Do in Ohio.
In Fulton, a town of roughly eleven thousand people, and a high school with a total two hundred students, everyone was familiar with each other. They’d actually grown up together. His old principal, Mr. Blair, had been to barbecues at his home many times. When someone got into trouble, not only did the parents know about it, within hours, the whole town heard of the news. And, like it or not, your reputation grew up with you — screwing up as a kid, you’d be branded a “bad apple,” and your reputation would follow you forever.
The switch to Carlsbad, a proper city between San Diego and L.A., and a school with about three thousand students, had been difficult. It was harsh and disorienting. It seemed that everyone was trying to be individuals, trying to do something that would set them apart from each other. Clothing, attitude, friends, sports. It was all about who was who. Who did what?  And, who was with whom? Thomas had tried to keep a low profile, but once again, his prowess in Tae Kwon Do had singled him out.
And now he was sitting in front of Killjoy.
When he had counted to twenty Mississippi, Killjoy finally spoke.
“Did you throw the first punch?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Did you entice the fight in any way?”
“Entice?”
“E-N-T-I-C-E. Entice,” she spelled. “To bait, to attract. Did you lure Roger to fight with you?”
“No. They started it.”
“They?”
“Roger and his friends.”
“So you know him?”
“He’s in one of my classes.”
“And you don’t like him.”
“I don’t really know him.”
“You wanted to fight him?”
“No.”
“You wanted to show off in front of the school? Build a little reputation? Show everyone who’s boss.”
“No.”
“No to which question.”
“No to all of them.”
“Show me your hands.”
Thomas paused, and then extended his knuckles.
“Palms up,” Killjoy said leaning forward. He opened his hands and turned up his palms.
Killjoy leaned even closer and lifted her sunglasses. Her eyes weren’t black but light brown, so clear that they were almost yellowish and perfectly delineated with a dark line. If she wasn’t wearing the sunglasses all the time, the girls would surely have another thing to envy. As she stared at his palms, Thomas began to feel a tingling sensation.  He pulled his hands away.
She leaned back in her chair drawing in a deep breath. “Are you afraid of me?” she asked as she reached for her coffee, her nails screeching as she ran them across the mug.
“Should I be?” Thomas asked the way he had answered all of her other questions, immediately, without thinking.
 Yes, she was scary, and she ruled the school with an iron grip, but in all the stories he’d heard, she was portrayed like a righteous but level-headed person. He really wanted to believe that he would get a fair interview with her.
Killjoy smirked. “I ask the same question to every student that sits in that chair. Ninety-nine percent say ‘yes.’ The other one percent, the bold or stupid, depending on how you want to look at it, say ‘no.’ You are the first to ask if you should be afraid.”
She turned her computer screen toward him. “This is your student record. Because of your fight I can suspend you. I can also try to expel you. I can have all the teachers keep tabs on you and let me know when you do something that’ll bring you back to this chair. I could recommend counseling, maybe even a psych evaluation. I could go out of my way and write some college recommendation letters, the kind that hint that maybe you wouldn’t be the best candidate for that school. I could do all that, maybe even a little more. And you know what?”
She stood and filled her coffee mug with a fresh batch from a machine she kept behind her desk. “It wouldn’t matter. This…” she pointed at the screen, “is your record, but it isn’t you. It isn’t what you are or what you can become. No matter what I or anyone else does to help you or bring you down, only you can decide your future. Success or failure is in your hands. You understand all of this?”
Thomas nodded.
“Good,” she said sitting down.  “Because most people your age don’t. That said, the answer is no, you shouldn’t be afraid of me, but you will respect me while you’re in this school. Are we clear?”
“Very clear.”
“Now get out of my chair and I’ll call your grandfather. You’ll wait outside and study.” She took a sip of coffee and turned to the computer screen.
Thomas didn’t know if he needed to apologize, thank her, or ask her what was going to happen next.  He stood up and walked toward the door.
He’d imagined a completely different outcome from the stories he’d heard. He had actually liked his little chat with Killjoy except, of course, that she was calling in his grandpa.
Now that was a conversation he began to dread.
“By the way,” Killjoy said, “for a red belt, you’re twisting your back leg too much on your Dwi sa gi.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your back stance,” Killjoy said without looking at him. “If Roger had known a little Tae Kwon Do, or any other martial art, he would have blocked your side kick and you’d have ended up on the floor. You need to work on your side-raising kick too.”
It was almost word-for-word what his Master in Ohio had told him to work on before he left for California.
“Thanks,” he said. “I will.” And she waved him away with the mug.
Thomas sat down outside of her office to study, but all he could think about was his chat with Killjoy.  How did she know that he practiced Tae Kwon Do, and how could she have guessed that he was a red belt?
It took Thomas’s grandfather four hours before he arrived. The school was almost empty when Morgan Byrne entered through the office doors. Thomas felt the full intensity of his grandfather’s glare, even behind his thick, coke-bottle glasses. As his grandfather walked toward him, Thomas felt his body shrink. He had seen that glare before. He closed his notepad and got ready for the lecture that was sure to come. His grandfather’s limp was more noticeable when he walked at a brisker pace, and the way he nodded was an even worse sign of things to come.
Morgan Byrne had big hands, and at seventy-two he was an imposing man. He still had a full head of hair, although it had gone completely white. The diabetes and mild arthritis had only begun to dent his stamina, but he still exercised every morning and tried to get Thomas to exercise with him as much as he could.
“Tom.” His grandfather lifted a finger from his clenched fist, but before he could say another word, Killjoy opened the door to her office.
“Mr. Byrne,” she said extending a hand. “I’m Vice Principal Khanna. Before you take Thomas home I need to speak with you.”
Morgan shook Killjoy’s hand, flashed Thomas a final glare, and disappeared into the office.
Thomas’s guts twisted into a knot, and he locked his hands in between his knees. He involuntarily began to rock back and forth. A chat session between Killjoy and Grandpa could very well mean a whole new level of grounding.  He tried to listen to the conversation through the door, but he only heard muffled voices.
Grandpa raised his voice, then Killjoy, then Grandpa again, followed by a long stream of words from Killjoy.  Then a long silence, then… laughter?
Were they really laughing in there?
The door flung open. His grandfather walked out of Killjoy’s office with a smile. He turned and waved at Killjoy.
Thomas stopped rocking and drew in a long breath. His grandfather didn’t seem as angry as he thought.
 But, Thomas’s relief was short-lived as Grandpa’s smile slowly turned into a grimace.
“To the car, Tom,” his grandfather snapped. Not another word was spoken until they reached the parking lot.
“I tried to talk it out first,” Thomas began when they reached the car.
“Inside.” Morgan opened the door and closed it very gently. The car was his most prized possession: a black 1959 Chevrolet Impala that had been in and out of his garage only a couple of times since he’d bought it.
Thomas had heard all the car stories more than once. It was his grandfather’s pride and joy, his first car, bought with the labor of his teenage years and his first check from the Marines. The car that wooed his grandmother; the car his dad first learned to drive; the car Thomas’s parents used on their first date.
The car had been as special for his parents as it was for Grandpa and, had they not disappeared, it would already be theirs.
“I was furious with you, Tom.” Morgan buckled his seatbelt. “You got into a fight two weeks after I finally became your legal guardian. Really? Don’t you remember how difficult it was? All the hurdles and hoops? What would those people at the board say if they knew about this fight?”
“I tried to talk first, Gramps, I’m sorry.”
“Well,” his grandfather pursed his lips and turned on the ignition. “You should be. Let’s go.”
As they drove away, Thomas saw Killjoy leaving the school and, for a second, he thought she smiled at him.
“So,” Thomas asked once they pulled out from the school driveway. “We’re good? You’re not mad?”
“Oh no, I said I was furious.” Grandpa turned on the radio to one of his sixties stations. Bob Dylan was asking once again how it felt to be a rolling stone. Grandpa immediately joined in with the rhythm, tapping on the wheel with his hand.
 “Until Miss Khanna told me that you beat up three kids today and…” he slapped the wheel and mouthed the words of the last chorus.
  “And?” Thomas asked. He swallowed a lump in his throat.
“And I told her that three against one wasn’t my idea of a fair fight, especially since they are older than you. Aren’t they?”
“Well, yeah. But just by a year. They’re juniors.”
“Do you go beating up freshmen?”
“No.”
“Well, there you go. You didn’t start the fight, did you?”
Thomas lifted up his hands. “No, I swear I didn’t.”
“But you did finish it and I can’t get mad at you because you defended yourself. I told Miss Khanna that only cowards gang up on someone and that I expected the parents of those kids to give us a call to apologize.”
“Really?” Thomas was sure that if Killjoy called the parents of Roger and company, his social life at school was over before it even got started. “And what did she say?”
“That you’re suspended for a week without it going on your permanent record. To keep appearances.” Grandpa turned the radio dial; The Rolling Stones were  playing Sympathy for the devil.  “Those boys belong to the school’s football team, one is the running back. He had a big game this weekend that he’s not going to play, and if they lose and she doesn’t punish you somehow, well, I’m sure you know just how popular you would have become. Nice going champ. Good way to make friends.”
“But is she calling their parents or not?” It was great that Killjoy wouldn’t put the fight on his record, but she could still destroy his social life with that call.

“Of course she will.” Grandpa parked inside of their garage. “But, to tell their parents that they beat you up, and that they have extra duties at the school for a month.” He looked at Thomas and winked. “She also has her Killjoy reputation to keep, you know?”

Review| Sweetest Taboo

Title: Sweetest Taboo
Author: Eva Marquez
Pub Date: October 2012
Pages: 296
Publisher: Createspace

Source: A received a signed copy of the book from the author for my participation in her virtual book tour. Thanks so much Eva for sending that to me. I enjoyed all the little goodies you sent. Photobucket
When I first heard about the book from Pump Up Your Book I was interested and wanted to read it. I love the cover because looking at it you wonder what it could be about and I think the cover is very fitting for what the book is about. Don’t you hate covers that don’t match the story?

Isabel is 15 years old. She is on the swim team. This is her story (fictional) about her and her affair with her swim coach, Tom Stevens. The story is told in Isabel’s view which is nice because its coming from her view point and not that of her coach.

I have to start off first by saying I wasn’t sure how this book was going to turn out for me because this is a very hot topic in today’s society and we all know its not right for this be happening. I’m sorry but this is my opinion. I really don’t see what people (ie 15 year olds) see in much older people. There is really nothing they can have in common.

With that being said, I was totally surprised. This sucked me in right from the first word and I couldn’t put the book down. I was literally reading it non stop with a few breaks here and there to get something or to do something. I can’t wait for book 2, Tainted Love to come out. Hopefully it will be out soon. I am dying with anticipation.

Back to the review…….

Isabel is a popular girl in school and she could have any guy she wanted but its not until her first day of  swimming that she spots the coach, Tom. That’s when her secret crush begins. Honestly how many of us didn’t have a crush on one of our teachers etc? I am guilty of that and that’s all it was, was a crush. Nothing developed from it.

Isabel begins to daydream and wonders what it would be like to have Tom ( is 30ish, married and has kids) notice her. When finally it happens and its actually quite innocent, he hands her her favorite towel after practice. Isabel is thrilled and surprised.

This is where you know that Tom has been watching her because he knows where she puts her bag and what her favorite towel is. It might come off as innocent to Isabel but was it on Tom’s part?

The affair just doesn’t happen right away its a slow build. I was impressed with Isabel because even though she was crushing on Tom, she just didn’t jump in head first she gave it some serious thought.

I think for me the reason I couldn’t put the book down was because you know at some point they are going to get caught. No matter how secretive you keep things some way some how you make a little mistake. Does this happen in the book? Well you will just have to pick it up to find out.

Thanks again to Pump Up Your Book for allowing me to be on this tour and for introducing me to this book and author. I can’t wait for book two to come out.

Thanks again Eva for sending me the book and I am dying for book two.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) A Boy Called Duct Tape

Title: A Boy Called Duct Tape
Author: Christopher Cloud
Pub Date: April 2012
Pages: 188
Publisher: CreateSpace

Source: I recieved an pdf copy of this book for my participation in the tour.

About the Book:
Pablo Perez is a 12-year-old poor kid without much going for him. His classmates have dubbed him “Duct Tape” because his tattered discount-store sneakers are held together with…you guessed it, duct tape. He can’t escape the bullying.

Pablo’s luck, however, changes after he finds a $20 gold coin while swimming in a river near his home. Pablo later buys a $1 treasure map at the county fair. The map shows the route to the “lost treasure” of Jesse James. Pablo can’t help but wonder: Is there a link between the map and the gold coin? He is determined to find out, and he, his 9-year-old sister and 13-year-old cousin hire an ill-natured cave guide, and begin a treacherous underground adventure in search of treasure.

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I just finished reading Christopher Cloud’s debut novel, A Boy Called Duct Tape, and I have to say I really enjoyed it.

Pablo is a young boy (12 years old) living in a trailer with him mom and sister, Pia (9 years old). Life for Pablo isn’t ideal. His mother is doing the best she can with the little she has and that means they don’t live in the lap of luxury. Money is tight and with that, poor Pablo is usually the victim of bullying because his cheap $20 shoes usually don’t make it through the year so he has resorted to duct taping them.

Then one day while Pablo and Pia are at James Creek skipping rocks, Pablo makes a shocking discovery. Now in order to skip rocks you need to have the perfectly flat ones and Pablo knows that the best rocks are usually at the very bottom. It was during one of his dive downs he grabs what he thinks is a rock but in reality when he comes up he discovers that its a 1879 $20.00 gold coin.

Pablo knows that old coins can be worth something and he really hopes that it is and takes to the Internet to find out the truth and discovers that this coin could possibly be worth $6,000+. He knows that this money can change the family’s life for the better.

This is where the adventure begins and I have to say that I managed to devour this within a few hours. I think this would be on interest to my son and will definitely add it to my new ereader when I get it.

Thanks to Pump Up Your Promo for contacting me about this book. I love discovering new authors and debut books.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Your Family Constitution Review


Thank You to Tracee from Pump Up Your Book Promo for asking me if I would be interested in being part of the tour for Your Family Constitution.

This was a quick and interesting read. Within the first chapter I felt as though the book was about me and for me.

The book is about a day in Scott Gale’s family life that he refers to as the Black Sunday. On this particular day he and his family have bascially hit rock bottom. He realized shortly after that they his family needed a change. He set out to make a plan for this family change.

He came up with the family constitution. Similar to the idea of the American Constitution. At first it seemed to work but realized it wasn’t going to work so he decided that if this was going to work that he needed the input from the family. The managed to come up with something that would work and it did.

Scott included his family constitution at the end of the book for us the readers so we would know how to do it. If you think you can just take the short cut and use his he even explains to us the reader why you can’t just use his. He was smart to include that. You can try to copy his but will so realize that it won’t work for you and your family.

As parents we seem like we are always juggling alot of balls and always afraid that one will drop. We are juggling our kids, our personal needs and our careers. It always feels as though those balls get heavier all the time. It seems as though we have more and more commitments all the time and trying to find ways to make it all work.

I am a stay at home mom so I am not working but still I feel as though at times I was like Scott and I could actually relate to Scott. Not only are we the same age but are struggling with the same issues and concerns.

I always feel as though I am always doing the chores in the house and it gets frustrating because I feel as though its never appreciated. I have tried several times with Michael with helping with chores and rewarding him but I realized while I was reading the book that its not just about assigning chores and offering rewards but its about having house rules that everyone must respect.

Having house rules are important and in order for it to work you have to communicate with monthly and yearly meetings and get the input from your family. Change the things that don’t work.

The book is very simple and straight forward. Everything is laid out in a simply way so that its easy to refer back and forth. Scott also includes several comics and illustrations in the book that had a little humor to the book. I admit I was laughing throughout the book especially the one about BOB’s job description:

Little boy is talking to his parents and he asks:

You’re sure there is nothing in there about catering to our every whim….

Parents are over looking the papers and say:

Nope. I don’t see that anywhere in our job description.

I admit I am guilty of using that. Who isn’t?

If you are at your wits end and want peace in your house then I suggest this book for you. We are currently working on our own family constitution and I will keep you posted on the progress.

This book was provided for review by Tracee from Pump Up Your Book Promo and Scott Gale for sending the book.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms Review

Title: Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
AUTHOR: Jane Doiron
PUB DATE: September 2009

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book Promotion for allowing me to take part in this virtual tour of this great cookbook.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook consists of 140 family-favorite make-ahead recipes, which are recipes that can be frozen ahead, assembled ahead, or cooked ahead and reheated. The cookbook’s recipes are a combination of all three.

The Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms cookbook includes recipes for freezable meals like Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs, Sloppy Joe’s, Chicken Noodle Soup and Hearty Chili. Recipes for frozen marinated meats such as Teriyaki Chicken, Thai Chicken and Taco Meat allow for quick meals on busy nights. The make-ahead strategy assures that with a freezer stocked with make-ahead meals, busy moms will spend less time at the grocery store and less money on unhealthy prepared or take-out food.

Jane Doiron’s goal was to seek out main dish, family-favorite recipes that could be modified into make ahead meals without sacrificing the food’s taste and texture by freezing. After years of home-testing recipes, Jane has compiled this must-have cookbook with specific make-ahead directions. In addition, Jane includes her best recipes for clever side dishes, flavorful appetizers and luscious desserts. Imagine opening your freezer to pick out a family-favorite appetizer, main dish, or dessert, and all you have to do is thaw and heat it!

By making meals in advance, when time does permit, busy moms will be rewarded with quick home-cooked meals, appetizers, or desserts, when they really need them.

MY THOUGHTS:
I am going to go on record and say I love reviewing cookbooks. I usually don’t buy cookbooks because they are expensive but when given the chance to review them I am all over it and can’t wait to get them.

I was so excited to get this one because this one says I could save time, money, effort and still have delicious meals. I love trying new recipes because it takes something ordinary like chicken, pork etc and turn it into something new and exciting.

Honestly if you are like me you get tired of the same foods and are looking for something new well this is the cookbook for you or even to give as a gift.

Not only does this book offer 140 recipes but also there are some helpful tips and measurement equivalents. Jane also breaks the recipes down into what you can make ahead of time and how you can freeze it.

Another great thing about the cookbook is the ingredients are all easy to find and if your store doesn’t have that extact brand or type you can easily substitute for something similiar.

The only down side of the cookbook was there was no pictures to accompany the recipes apart from the front and back covers. With that being said just reading the recipes you could picture them in your mind.

Jane as included recipes for appetizers, breakfast & brunch, desserts, soups, side and main dishes. I have tried several recipes and looking forward to the holidays when we have company over to try some of the appetizers.

To date from the cookbook I have made:

– Bruschetta (we loved this recipe)
– Banana Bread, Bran Muffins,
– Hawaiian Bread (for this I ended up substituting macadamia nuts for walnuts as I had everything on had apart from the macadamia nuts, it was still very good)
-Mini Banana Chocolate chip Muffins (although I made these in regular muffin tins)
-Strawberry bread, Chocolate Fudge (this recipe is very similar to the one I make every Christmas)
-Oatmeal Cookies,
-Chicken Parmesan,
-Meat Pies,
-Mini Meatloaves,
-Sloppy Joes (this was great to see in the book as we love Sloppy Joes and I can only find the cans in NB and in Ontario so I usually stock up when I got but now I can make it from scratch)

I am looking forward to trying many more recipes from this great cookbook.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jane Doiron is a busy working mom of two boys. She is an Elementary School teacher with a passion for cooking and experimenting with recipes. With her busy schedule, Jane has found that make-ahead meals (meals prepared in advance) are time-savers, money-savers and are the best alternatives to eating “take-out”, which is not usually a healthy meal choice. Jane’s cookbook is the result of her years of seeking out new recipes, experimenting with family-favorite recipes, and turning them into make-ahead meals.

For more information visit: www.makeaheadmealsforbusymoms.com

This book was provided for review by OUTSKIRTS PRESS .

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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