Flour + Water

This beautiful cookbook is a feast for both the eyes and the stomach! Filled with amazing pasta recipes from the popular restaurant that shares the same name, this book has so many amazing recipes to help one conquer pasta making. I love all the variety! There is something for everyone in these pages. Whether you are a pro at pasta or just learning, this cookbook will be a great addition to your kitchen.

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall

Her secret cloaks her in isolation and loneliness.

His secret traps him in a life that is not his own.

Cecily Faire carries the shame of her past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could strip away everything she holds dear. But soon after accepting the position of lady's companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man well-acquainted with the past she's desperately hidden for years.
Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his own --- one that has haunted him from birth and tied him to his father's position as steward of Willowgrove. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not breath a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he'll never be free to find his own way in the world. He'll never be free to fall in love.
When the secrets swirling within Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand together and build a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long suffered?
My thoughts: I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book, since I am usually a skeptic when it comes to fiction set in the Regency era. I want to like these new stories, but they can't seem to come anywhere near to comparing with my favorites. And yet, I still persist in trying them out.;) Well, with this book, I am glad that I did! It is both a sweet story and an interesting one. The characters are lovely, I quite fell in love with them! This book is the perfect story for a cool Autumn day. Two thumbs up!

Too Loved to be Lost

In Too Loved to Be Lost (Barbour Books, October 2014), you'll find simple, practical steps for healing, refreshment, and revitalization of spirit, body, and faith. Whether you're struggling with issues related to trust, depression, patience, relationships, hurts, or hopes. . .this humor-filled volume will deliver a much-needed smile and equip you with simple-to-implement tips for attaining the kind of guidance and belonging you crave---the kind that can only be found in the unconditional love of Papa God.
My thoughts: I wasn't quite sure what I would think of this book, since it didn't look like one that I would be able to relate to. Boy, was I wrong! I think there is something in this book for everyone (though, it is mostly geared towards woman;)). Debora Coty does a fabulous job of weaving stories, Scripture verses, and humor together into one seamless read that is most enjoyable! I appreciated her honesty and humor.
Two thumbs up!
I received this book from Lit fuse in exchange for my honest review.

The Brickmaker's Bride

In the clay-rich hills of the newly founded state of West Virginia, two families tentatively come together to rebuild a war-torn brickmaking business.
Ewan McKay has immigrated to West Virginia with his aunt and uncle, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial help. Uncle Hugh purchases a brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, and it's Ewan's job to get the company up and running again.
Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he quickly feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man--a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Resolving that he'll make the brickworks enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Ireland, Ewan pours all his energy into the new job.
But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work is put in jeopardy. As his hopes for the future crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. Can she help him save the brickworks, and will Ewan finally get a shot at winning her heart?

My thoughts: I enjoy Judith Miller's books, since she does a wonderful job at bringing her characters to life and filling her novels with historical details. This book wound up being no exception! The story moved along at just the right speed. I enjoyed getting to know Ewan and Laura as they worked their hardest to get her father's brick making business back up and running. It was interesting to read about a way that some women back then could be involved in a family business, and how that probably wound up being somewhat of a necessity in the time period that this book falls into (post Civil War), when there was a shortage of young men.
I also thought it was interesting how Ms. Miller portrayed Ewan and his family and the struggles they faced with immigrating from Ireland, especially the prejudices against the Irish.
Two thumbs up!
I received a copy of this book from litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

This week's book meme from The Broke and Bookish has to do with top ten places that books have made me want to visit.

1. England
Is it to broad to say that I want to see England? After reading Austen, Dickens, and the Bronte sisters (to name a few), I decided that England is at the top of my list for places I want to visit someday. I was kind of hoping to have visited there by now, but such is life.;) Someday, right?

2. Prince Edward Island
Between Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon (both by L.M. Montgomery), this is another place high on my list!

3. The American Frontier/Prairie
I can attribute this to Laura Ingalls Wilder. Granted, I have seen a lot of land between the Midwest and the West coast, due to road trips to visit family. I think more than just seeing it, that it would be fun to take part in a (small) re-enactment of what it would be like to go West on one of the pioneer trails.

4. Canadian frontier
This would be due to reading Janette Oke's series involving Mounties and school teachers.:) Her novels were some of the first ones I read as a young teenager, so they will always hold a special place in my heart.;)

5. Scotland
So, for some reason, I always associated James Herriot with Scotland (until just now, when I went to look him up....). Oops. I guess than I shall say that it is due to Sir. Walter Scott and Robert Burns.

6. France
Particularly Paris. Especially the Opera House. Guess what books might of influenced me here? (cue organ music) Les Miserables and the works of Dumas may have influenced me here too.:)

7. Sounis, Eddis and Attoli
The Mediterranean style islands from The Queen's Thief

8. Hogwarts
It is a sad thing when you would love to visit a place, but there is no way you could ever hope to actually go, since the place doesn't exist.;) At least, not in the truest form that is in a book.

9. The Shire
Really, just about all of the places mentioned in LOTR's. With, perhaps, the exception of Mordor.;)

10. Narnia
For obvious reasons.:)

What would your list of top ten places look like?

The New American Herbal

From modern garden master Stephen Orr comes a new, definitive book on herbs to finally replace the dusty and outdated classics. Here are entries on hundreds of plants that are extraordinarily useful in cooking, homeopathy, and more; dozens of recipes and DIY projects; and beautifully styled photographs so you know just what you're growing.

With more than 900 entries, each accompanied by brand new photography and helpful growing advice, The New American Herbal takes the study of herbs to an exciting new level. Orr covers the entire spectrum of herbaceous plants, from culinary to ornamental to aromatic and medicinal, presenting them in an easy to use A to Z format packed with recipes, DIY projects, and stunning examples of garden design highlighting herbal plantings. Learn about the herbs you've always wanted to grow (chervil, chamomile, and lovage), exotic herbs (such as Artemisia, the bitter herb used in Absinthe, or the anti-inflammatory Meadowsweet), and ornamental varieties (Monkshood and Perilla). For cooks there is indispensable guidance on planting and maintaining a bountiful kitchen garden and crafters will delight in dozens of exciting new uses for fresh, dried, and distilled herbs. Here, too, are 40 delicious recipes such as Ragu Bolognese with Fennel and Lemon Semolina Cake with Lavender, as well easy steps for projects such as a hanging herb garden and instructions on how to plant, dry, and preserve your garden’s bounty.

Meticulously researched and exhaustive in its scope, The New American Herbal is an irresistible invitation to explore the versatility of herbs in all their beauty and variety.

My thoughts: I have always been interesting in using herbs more, for both cooking delicious dishes and to use medicinally. This book is perfect! I think it would work well for the experienced herbalist as well, but is especially perfect for those of us who don't know a whole lot about the wide world of herbs. I love that each of the herbs has a picture, which helps one identify them. I also especially like that the author has told us how to grow each plant and the safety of each one. This will be a book that my husband and I will use for years to come! It came at a wonderful time, since we are wanting to expand our herb garden. Right now, we are growing sage and..... sage.;)
So, if you are a gardener, this is a book you should have in your library!
I received this book from blogging for books in exchange for my honest review.

Pumpkin muffins

Fall is in the air! This time of year makes me want to don an apron and whip up some pumpkin goodies, so I recently did just that and made these delicious pumpkin muffins. The nice thing about this recipe is that I have also used it to make a pumpkin cake (really just bread in a cake like pan), since it turns out so tasty! The texture is amazing, and they are loaded with a lovely pumpkin/spice taste. I think we have a new favorite at our house!

Pumpkin muffins
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/8 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/8 cup flour (I used unbleached, but I can imagine that using half wheat and half white would be good too!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Put your melted butter in a bowl and cream with the sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, milk, and pumpkin to creamed ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Add the rest of the ingredients, scrapping the sides with a spatula as you go, so everything is mixed nicely.
Grease your muffin tins (this makes 14-16 large muffins or 24 small) or loaf pan. Add the mixture, smoothing it out if you are making a loaf.
Bake for 8-12 minutes for the small muffins, 12-15 for large, and 30 minutes for your loaf. If you are making a loaf, be sure to insert a toothpick into your bread to make sure it is done, since it will depend on your pan. If the dough it pretty deep, then it might take longer to bake.
Enjoy with a glass of milk!