[Stacking The Shelves] #28 - Edelweiss-Crazy

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews featuring the books we got this week.

 

WTF where did February go? I mean it's kind of awesome that it was my birthday on 17th (woohooo) but it's going to be March next week and that is just not acceptable. Oh yeah & I fell into my "Request ARC" obsession again so please send your words of encouragement of stopping my crazy behavior hehe

       

What's on your list today?  Leave comments below & I'll be sure to return the favor! 

[Dead of Winter Recipe + Giveaway] The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse‏

The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse
by Lauren Wilson, Kristian Bauthus

Just because the undead’s taste buds are atrophying doesn’t mean yours have to!

You duck into the safest-looking abandoned house you can find and hold your breath as you listen for the approaching zombie horde you’ve been running from all day. You hear a gurgling sound. Is it the undead? No—it’s your stomach.

When the zombie apocalypse tears down life and society as we know it, it will mean no more take out, no more brightly lit, immaculately organized aisles of food just waiting to be plucked effortlessly off the shelves. No more trips down to the local farmers’ market. No more microwaved meals in front of the TV or intimate dinner parties. No, when the undead rise, eating will be hard, and doing it successfully will become an art.

The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse is a cookbook and culinary field guide for the busy zpoc survivor. With more than 80 recipes (from Overnight of the Living Dead French Toast and It’s Not Easy Growing Greens Salad to Down & Out Sauerkraut, Honey & Blackberry Mead, and Twinkie Trifle), scads of gastronomic survival tips, and dozens of diagrams and illustrations that help you scavenge, forage, and improvise your way to an artful post-apocalypse meal. The Art of Eating is the ideal handbook for efficient food sourcing and inventive meal preparation in the event of an undead uprising.

Whether you decide to hole up in your own home or bug out into the wilderness, whether you prefer to scavenge the dregs of society or try your hand at apocalyptic agriculture, and regardless of your level of skill or preparation, The Art of Eating will help you navigate the wasteland and make the most of what you eat.

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

Geedunk Magical Layer Bars

1 Hungry Survivor or Regular Joe serving

The word “Geedunk” is old Navy slang for candy, chips, and soda and reportedly comes from the sound these items made when they fell out of a vending machine. The name is appropriate here because this MRE version of the Magic Layer Bar consists almost entirely (unless you substitute the Chocolate Peanut Spread for Peanut Butter, then entirely) of junk.

I won’t lie, these pale in comparison to the pre-zpoc originals. But if they can satisfy my sweet tooth, chances are yours will be satisfied too. After all the living hell you’ve been through, your brain probably can’t even conjure a decent memory of what the originals tasted like, anyway. Yum!

The ingredients for this recipe can be found in the following 2012-issue MREs:

·         Fudge Brownie: Menu #2

·         Blackberry Jam: Menus #3, 9, 16, 19, 22

·         Chocolate Chip Toaster Pastry: Menu #4

·         Chocolate Peanut Spread: Menu #6 or Peanut Butter: Menus #3, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 22

·         Peanut M&M’s: Menu #13 or Plain M&M’s: Menu Menu #15

·         Kreamsicle Cookie: Menus #6, 7, 11

Requires:

Chef’s or survival knife and cutting board

1 plate or bowl

Heat Source:

1 Flameless Ration Heater

Time:

10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 x MRE-issue Chocolate Peanut Spread or Peanut Butter

1 x MRE-issue Fudge Brownie

1 x MRE-issue Blackberry Jam

1 x MRE-issue Chocolate Chip Toaster Pastry

1 x MRE-issue Peanut M&M’s or Plain M&M’s, crushed

1 x MRE-issue Kreamsicle Cookie, crushed

Method:

1.      Use a Flameless Ration Heater to warm the Chocolate Peanut Spread or Peanut Butter for about a minute, to loosen it slightly and make it more spreadable.

2.      In the meantime, remove the Fudge Brownie from its packaging and lay it, upside down, on a plate or in a bowl. Spread a thick layer of Blackberry Jam over the brownie.

3.      Remove the spread from the heater and set aside. Carefully remove the Chocolate Chip Toaster Pastry from its package (it’s delicate!) and layer on top of the brownie. Spread a thick layer of the Chocolate Peanut Spread or Peanut Butter onto the pastry.

4.      Sprinkle liberally with the crushed M&M’s and Kreamsicle Cookie.

5.      Cut your creation in half and devour.

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[Book Review] Of Things Gone Astray by Janina Matthewson

Of Things Gone Astray 
by Janina Matthewson 

On a seemingly normal morning in London, a group of people all lose something dear to them, something dear but peculiar: the front of their house, their piano keys, their sense of direction, their place of work.

Meanwhile, Jake, a young boy whose father brings him to London following his mother’s sudden death, finds himself strangely attracted to other people’s lost things. But little does he realize that his most valuable possession, his relationship with his father, is slipping away from him.

Of Things Gone Astray is a magical fable about modern life and values and finding the things that really matter. 

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

When I first stumbled upon this book, I wasn't sure what to make of it. Of course, the summary had some sort of explanation but the way it was written was if the magic of the novel was a regular thing and this was just something that happened all the time. Of course, later on I understood the meaning of everything was very intrigued with the way things turned out. 

One random London morning, people lost something that you wouldn't necessarily think that these things would be important to some people. Things like the front of the house, piano keys, a sense of direction, independence and more. When Jake's father brings him to London after his mother died, he is very drawn to those missing things and it's very interesting to the actual process of which every person goes through because they have lost something very dear to them. 

Of Things Gone Astray made me think. Alot. Thinking about losing something that is very dear to me was like a breathe of fresh air and I was able to realize that some things are taken for granted and should be paid attention to more. I loved this book, it will definitely stay with me for awhile. 

 Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

About Janina Matthewson

Janina Matthewson is a writer and trained actress from Christchurch, New Zealand. She now lives in London. Of Things Gone Astray is her first full-length novel.

Find out more about Janina at her website, and connect with her on Twitter.

[Book Review + Giveaway] The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons

The Glass Arrow 
by Kristen Simmons 

The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road in Glass Arrow, the story of Aya, who lives with a small group of women on the run from the men who hunt them, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder.

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning.

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

The Glass Arrow was an incredible read and really shocked me. The summary from Goodreads says that it is a mix between The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road but since I've never read either of them, I was coming into this story with a fresh start, without any expectations. I have heard that Simmons is an incredible author and I was definitely not disappointed. 

The story starts out when Aya, our main character, is being captured. Because all women are captured and being sold for population control purposes, she has been hiding in the woods with some of her family and have grown up to be more wild. Once she's captured, she's put into the Garden - a place where all girls get prepared to be sold at the auction and have given another name to go by - Aya's being Clover, a weed. Not wanting to be sold off, she tries to get into more fights so she can go into solitary where she can see Brax, her wild wolf who she came to love. And that's when she meets Kiran. A mute Driver who never hurt her and was not taken back that Aya was Unpromised. 

I loved this book. The world building was incredible and very much made sense. I did find it offensive that women were viewed as "baby makers" of the society but that was the world that they lived in and I really sympathized with them. Aya was really incredible. I loved how wild and determined she was, there are not a lot of YA novels where we find the female be so strong and mature for her age that she could take on guys bigger than her. Just simple things like working out and trying to get stronger for her escape made me love her even more. Definitely packed with action, although slow at times to explain about the world building and other characters, I really enjoyed this book. 

Kristen Simmons is the author of the ARTICLE 5 series and THE GLASS ARROW (Tor Teen). She loves her family, Jazzercise, and chocolate cupcakes. She currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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Movie in Works: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Who doesn't love a good creepy gothic YA story? I know I do! And ever since Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children came out, it's been a huge hit around Bookies community. Everything from the abandoned orphanage on an island, strange children and old bedtime stories, this book is meant to be different. AND IT'S GOING TO BE A MOVIE!!! Although I probably just live under the rock & everyone already knows about it lol

I was honestly beyond excited over the news just because Hollywood finally realized that they don't have to come up with some ridiculous scripts that noone will watch & they can triple their profit by selling movie tickets AND have people buy the actual books. It's really is a win/win situation for everyone. & I am honestly really excited for this news because even when you looks at the book trailer itself, you know it's going to be good.

The movie itself is in plans to be released in 2016 & it is written by the actual writer & Jane Goldman who was producer and a writer for Kickass (2010) & couple of X-Men releases. 

Credited cast, sorted by IMDb STARmeter:
	Eva Green	...	Miss Peregrine
	Samuel L. Jackson	...	Barron
	Asa Butterfield	...	Jacob Portman
	Ella Purnell	...	Emma

What do you think about books being released to movies? Would you watch it?

[Book Review] Stealing Marilyn Monroe by Sophie Warren

Stealing Marilyn Monroe
by Sophie Warren

Juliet Chadwick has it all—a job at a New York art gallery, a great boyfriend, and a long-term career in the family business: theft. But unlike her father, Juliet plays it safe, sticking to small-time art heists and always covering her tracks. Until one day when her father’s creditors show up, demanding that she pay off his debts—or else.

And so Juliet comes up with a desperate plan, the greatest con she’s ever attempted: She’s going to steal Andy Warhol’s famous portrait of Marilyn Monroe from bachelor billionaire Edward Aster. All she’ll have to do is pose as the Aster family’s new nanny until she can get her hands on the painting. How hard can it be?

But all too quickly, Juliet finds herself falling in love with Edward’s children, and maybe even with Edward himself. Can she bring herself to pull off the ultimate theft—if it means stealing from a man who’s stolen her heart?

 

AMAZON | GOODREADS 

 

"Painting and sculpture, labor and good faith, have been my ruin and I go continually from bad to worse. Better it would have been for me if I set myself to making matches in my youth! I should not be in such distress of mind.." - Michelangelo

Personally, Chick Lit is one of the categories that is a little tricky for me. I could either love it or find it so silly & unrealistic that continuing the story itself could feel like the waste of my existence. Stealing Marilyn Monroe was definitely on my good side. Actually, scratch that. I LOVED IT!!!

The cover definitely caught my attention first. Then after reading the summary itself, I was definitely intrigued with its promise. Juliet Chadwick was very likable and even though she was a thief, she did it for the love of art and not just to make money. Her whole apartment was filled with art pieces that she stole from previous galleries but only because she knew they would not appreciate them the way they're supposed to be appreciated.

When she gets threatened for large amount of money in exchange of her father's life, she puts together a heist by pretending to be a nanny of three children of a multimillionaire Edward. All would need to be done is watch the kids and figure out if his art is secured so she can take it. But she never thought that loving the kids would be an option and ultimately, falling for their dad.

Although the story was a little cliché and could be viewed as silly, I actually thought it was a light read & still very entertaining. It kind of reminded me of the show Nanny that I still watch sometimes besides the whole I'm-Going-to-Steal-Your-Art type of deal.

The story flowed very well and I loved the children and how they acted with their dad and Juliet herself. And the ending might have been somewhat silly, it was that grand finish that many stand alone novels have & I am very happy with.

 

'Hunger Games' to be Continued Beyond the Books?

DEADLINE source

Over the weekend, Deadline came out with an article about the update on 'Hunger Games' and the future of what the movie holds. Article stated: "The last episode, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2, will “conclude with a blockbuster finale at the box office,” Feltheimer says, helped by the decision announced this AM to have it digitally remastered for IMAX 3D for its November 20 debut."

Which I think is honestly amazing since you'll be able to view it in any format you want which will only bring more money to the entertainment business. They also mentioned that there will be at least one theme park based on 'Hunger Games' & once that's built, they will have two or three running at the same time. THAT WOULD BE SO FREAKING COOL! 

It's so awesome to see great books such as Hunger Games get worked into a movie but would it be too much to sort of milk the crap out of them? It makes me think about Harry Potter and how the whole book series made years and years worth of product to sell. Which don't mind me, I love Harry Potter but for me it's very overplayed since it was everywhere. 

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think that Hollywood is trying to milk the idea of 'Hunger Games' & the huge fan base behind it or are you loving it?