Image – Page 3 – Rebecca Peterson

Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

March 24, 2016June 30, 2016 Posted in Book ReviewsPost format: Image4 Comments

Blue,

Okay, first of all, Oreos absolutely qualify as a food group. Second of all, they’re the ONLY food group that matters. My sisters and I actually made up this place called the Shoreo a few years ago one night when we were staying at our aunt’s house. It’s like this place where everything is made of some kind of Oreo, and the river is an Oreo milk shake, and you sit on top of this massive Oreo and float down it. You get to scoop up cups of milk shake whenever you want. It’s kind of like that scene in Willy Wonka, I guess.

For my Oreo-obsessed Simon inspired cupcake recipe, click here.

Recipe: Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Caramelized Hazelnuts

March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 Posted in Lit Inspired RecipesPost format: Image11 Comments

She kicked Chaol in the ribs with a sock-covered foot. “All I’m saying is that I’d like some chocolate cake every now and then.”

He closed his eyes. “And an apple tart, and a loaf of bread, and a pot of stew, and a mountain of cookies, and a—“He chuckled as she put her foot against his face and pushed. He grabbed her foot and wouldn’t let go when she tried yanking her leg back. “It’s true, and you know it, Laena.”

“So what if it is? Haven’t I earned the right to eat as much as I want, whenever I want?” She wrenched her foot out of his grasp as the smile faded from his face.

“Yes,” he said quietly, his voice barely audible over the crackling fire. “You have.” After a few moments of silence, he stood up and walked to the door.

She sat up on her elbows. “Where are you going?”

He opened the door. “To get you chocolate cake.”

For a Crown of Midnight review, click here.

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass, #2)

March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 Posted in Book ReviewsPost format: Image2 Comments

“Is that…chocolate cake?”

“I thought you might need some.”

“Need, not want?”

A ghost of a smile was on her lips, and he almost sagged in relief as he said, “For you, I’d say that chocolate cake is most definitely a need.”

Click here for a Crown of Midnight inspired chocolate cake recipe.

Click here for a review of the first book in the series, Throne of Glass.

The Story:

At the cost of nearly her life, Celaena has won the title of champion. Now she’s her enemy’s assassin, dispatched to remove the King of Adarlan’s dissenters. She’s living luxuriously off her blood money in the glass castle, but her friend Nehemia won’t allow her to enjoy these comforts, and neither will Celaena’s conscience. It’s time for Celaena to decide whose side she’s truly on and her reluctance to choose will come at a price.

Recipe: Miniature Princess Cakes (Prinsesstarta)

February 24, 2016February 24, 2016 Posted in Lit Inspired RecipesPost format: Image9 Comments

“She [Nina] shoved one of the cakes from the coffee service into her mouth …”

Nina was always eating sweets and was especially enamored with cake. I set out to make one that would have her salivating. For a Six of Crows book review, click here.

Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

February 24, 2016February 24, 2016 Posted in Book ReviewsPost format: Image4 Comments

_DSC0433 (1) — I’m off across the frozen Fjerda tundra with six convicts for an impossible heist. Kaz Brekker, here I come!

5/5 stars

For a Nina-inspired cake recipe, click here.

The Story:

Cruel mob boss Kaz Brekker has a new job: break into the most impenetrable prison ever built. Enlisting the help of five other criminals from the Ketterdam slums, the six are staging a heist that will make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. The journey strains Kaz, though, breaking through his armor to reveal a seventeen-year-old vulnerable boy with a haunting past. … Continue reading

Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

February 17, 2016 Posted in Book ReviewsPost format: Image4 Comments

4/5 stars

“I’ll spend the rest of the evening enjoying a potato. And by ‘enjoying’ I mean ‘hating so much I want to kill people.’”

For a baked potato recipe significantly better than anything Mark Watney enjoyed, click here.

The Story:

Mark Watney has been abandoned on Mars. Accidentally. Now, he must figure out a way to survive for four years until the next NASA mission to Mars. Watney proves to be the McGyver of space, constantly rigging solutions to his increasingly deadly obstacles. … Continue reading

Recipe: Coconut Curry Chicken with Baked Sweet Potatoes

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 Posted in Lit Inspired RecipesPost format: Image6 Comments

“I started the day with some nothin’ tea. Nothin’ tea is easy to make. First, get some hot water, then add nothin’. I experimented with potato skin tea a few weeks ago. The less said about that the better.” —The Martian by Andy Weir

For my review of The Martian, click here.

Review: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas

February 12, 2016June 30, 2016 Posted in Book ReviewsPost format: Image7 Comments

5/5 stars

The Story:

A slave in the Endovier salt mines, eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is one day released by a royal guard and presented to the crown prince who invites her to participate in the King’s competition seeking a Champion. Why her? Because she was once the country’s greatest assassin. Sponsored by the womanizing and flawless Crown Prince Dorian Havilliard, trained by the also handsome though less politically refined Captain of the Royal Guard Chaol Westfall, Celaena prepares to compete against 23 men for the spot as the King’s Champion. In the midst of hiding her true identity, recuperating from a year working as a slave underground in the mines, training for her competition, and staying in the competition, Celaena must also battle a darkness that’s threatening the castle.

Sarah J. Maas creates a diverse and action-packed fantasy world and one example of that diversity is the main character, Celaena. She’s physically strong, mentally tough, and has a soft spot for the finer things in life. I’ve gathered some of my favorite scenes that demonstrate Celaena’s sometimes hilarious character.

Review: Siege and Storm (Grisha Trilogy, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

February 8, 2016June 30, 2016 Posted in Book ReviewsPost format: Image4 Comments

5/5 stars

“A few dim memories flashed through my mind. A shallow dish of cooked beets, the slippery feel of them between my fingers as they stained my hands red.”

See here for a Siege and Storm inspired borsch recipe.

The story:

Siege and Storm continues Alina Starkov’s journey to master her new found powers as the Sun Summoner while chasing a legendary creature that could magnify those powers. News of the Sun Summoner is out, though, and thrones are vying for her strength. Alina must choose which side she is on.

The second installment of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy is a heartbreaking story of cost and sacrifice. As a suspenseful sequence, I’m struggling to say much without giving away everything, especially for those who haven’t even read the first book yet. And so, without further ado…

Spoilers begin here. You have been warned.

Recipe: Corporalki Borsch

February 8, 2016February 17, 2016 Posted in Lit Inspired RecipesPost format: Image2 Comments

“I thought again of my few memories from before Keramzin, of the dish of sliced beets, my fingers stained red with them.”

Here’s my Siege and Storm inspired borscht recipe. See my book review here.