Sunday Review: The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5) By Diana Gabaldon

Title: The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Source: Purchase form Amazon
Purchase Link: Amazon

Blurb

The year is 1771, and war is coming. Jamie Fraser’s wife tells him so. Little as he wishes to, he must believe it, for hers is a gift of dreadful prophecy—a time-traveler’s certain knowledge. Claire’s unique view of the future has brought him both danger and deliverance in the past; her knowledge of the oncoming revolution is a flickering torch that may light his way through the perilous years ahead—or ignite a conflagration that will leave their lives in ashes.

Review

My my this poor family has really the shit end of the deal huh? I don't think Ms. Gabaldon could make it any harder on them - but I know she does since the Hubby has told me as much.

Anywhoo....

The last 3 or 4 chapters in this book were the best in the series thus far. While at this point I DO feel connected to these characters, it wasn't until these chapters that I actually shed tears with them.

I really liked the big surprise at the end, that was probably the most happy moment of the series. The surprise I mean is with the wolf.

I loved how Roger and Jemmy are coming in this story. As father and son. And I am enjoying how Roger and Jamie are coming along together too.

The author really does have amazing character development but jesus does it have to be so blood long!?!?

That's still my biggest issue is that these epic books just are so, epic.

It takes way to many hours to read them to get to the nitty gritty.

Of course I am going to read book 6 because now, I'm over 150 hours into the series it would be crazy to just give it up now ya know?

Overall a 4.5 for this book and a 4 star for the series as a whole.

Batman V Superman Early Thoughts .....

 

I just watched the Batman V Superman trailer and Oh My God!! Now I am excited!!!

Some of you may remember from summer 2013 my Early Review Of Superman blog post that got my poor little ole blog bashed on some of the 'Nerd' sites that my husband and dear friends like to visit.

If you don't remember I'll do a little re-cap ... I gave it a 3.5 star review because I was just not impressed at all and I felt like some of the plot copied Independence Day with Will Smith and Bill Pullman. (Side note - so glad ID4 is coming out with a sequel! Even if the love of my life Will Smith isn't going to be in it *insert very dramatic tears* )

Anyway ... I've digressed and then did like a 30 min search on Will Smith .. but back to reality!

BATMAN v SUPERMAN!

Oh My Holy Hotness Batman!!!!

While I have always enjoyed Ben Affleck. I mean come on ... he's pretty yummy to look at. Especially when he has that sexy man beard going on ... I never pictured him as Batman.

And now that I've seen him .... Oh yeah .... Hugh Jackman as Wolverine watch out!!! You MAY just have been bumped as my sexiest super hero yet!

We will have to wait and see how he looks in the suit on the big screen.

Now what I did gather from the two minute trailer is some yummy drama that I can't wait to see unfold.

Honestly, I hope Batman kicks Superman's ass!

And kicks it way back to Krypton!

I loved Superman as a kid but and by loved I mean I really enjoyed the movies. But Batman (And the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Wolverine) have always been the ones my heart holds dear.

And now its time for Batman to get his dirty sexy fighting skills on.

I am so mad I have to wait until 2016 to see this movie! I NEEEEEED me some Batman!

I LOVED Christian Bale as Batman, his voice, oh it wooed me. So I expect Ben Affleck's to woo me as well. He better melt my insides and get me all worked up because that black suit NEEDS to get that action on!

As I have said before I haven't read the comics but the hubby tells me that Batman DOES win in them. THANK GOD!

I can't handle Batman losing on the big screen. Not sure what I would do if that happened. Cry maybe?

Oh My God - I just had a thought! What if BEN AFFLECK! Comes to ComicPalooza one year because NOW he is BACK in the super hero ring!!!! (If you remember he did play the blind super hero DareDevil once upon a time...) Oh man that would be so exciting being able to go MEET BATMAN!

Alright so to wrap up this craziness ... long story short ... I NEED this movie to come out ASAP! I can't wait to see it. And Batman BETTER beat the tar out of that flying alien!

This was a major dose of Ashley Randomness tonight. You can blame it on the lack of sleep I've had all week. Since last Sunday I've only had 15 hours of sleep ... they say at some point you become delusional ... let's just blame it on that okay?

Have a great night peeps and remember #BATMANBEATSSUPERMAN!

Gluten Free Friday Home Made Recipe #14: Granola Bars

I was on a quest to try and find a source of protein that was healthy and tasted good. That's when I thought of Granola Bars. Now I personally love them. They are easy to grab and toss in a bag to carry with you to work. And they tend to fill you up. So I did a little research on different recipes and I took a little bit from all of them. And here is what I came up with.

Remember, as always, everything is organic and gluten free.

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients - Glue
1/4 cup honey
1/4 stick of butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of water

Dry Ingredients
1 cup of rice crispy
1 2/3 cup of oats
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of quinoa flour
1/4 tablespoon of cinnamon
2 cups worth of dried fruit, nuts or chocolate chips. I used 1 cup raisins and 1 cup chocolate chip.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl together and mix thoroughly

Mix the wet ingredients together over a low burner. Once melted and mixed slowly pour over the dry mixture. Once the pan is empty set aside and begin to stir the wet and dry ingredients until they all have the 'glue' on them.

In a square or rectangle pan place parchment paper down. Pour the mixture over the paper and smooth out evenly at the thickness level you want.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. When you pull it out let it cool. If you go to cut into pieces and it's still soft place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden.

Make sure you wrap each individual piece properly or place in an air tight container.

This was an easy sweet dish that I give 3.5 stars too.

Voir Media Group Presents: USA Today Best Selling Author Kit Morgan

USA TODAY BEST SELLING AUTHOR KIT MORGAN RELEASES HER PRAIRIE VIKING IN AUDIO FORMAT!

 

Prairie Brides is a series, so you'll want to listen to the audiobooks in order to have the most fun! Enjoy these sweet romances as you get to know the Cooke brothers and the townsfolk of Clear Creek. One of the wackiest little towns in the old west!

The long awaited arrival of Mr. Berg is here! He made his first appearance in Her Prairie Knight, and then sprang into action with the rest of the townsfolk in His Prairie Duchess, now Mr. Berg has his own story to tell!

Andel Berg came to Clear Creek under the guise of becoming the new blacksmith, but little did the townspeople of Clear Creek know that he was so much more! Madeline Van Zuyen came to Clear Creek for a new beginning and the chance to start a new life. Little did she know that SHE was so much more!

Mr. Berg had a duty to perform. Find the Princess Madelaina at any cost, retrieve her, and deliver her to Count Rudge, one of the most despicable men Andel had ever known. Not an appealing task for a Captain of the King's Guard but unfortunately, Andel had no choice. If he didn't deliver the princess Count Rudge would kill his father and Andel was prepared to do anything to keep that from happening. But Andel hadn't counted on falling in love.

If he didn't deliver the princess his father would die. And if he did could Andel live with himself not to mention, live without his princess?

What then, will Mr. Berg do?

AUDIBLE

IF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE HER ARTICLE IN USA TODAY YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT HERE:

USA TODAY ARTICLE

His Prairie Duchess, Prairie Brides Book 3

Available Now on AUDIBLE | AMAZON | ITUNES

Her Prairie Knight, Prairie Bride Book 2

Now Available on AUDIBLE | AMAZON | ITUNES

 

His Prairie Princess, Prairie Brides Book 1

Available NOW on AUDIBLE | AMAZON | ITUNES

The Christmas Mail Order Bride, Holiday Mail Order Brides Book 1

Now Available on AUDIBLE | AMAZON | ITUNES

The New Year’s Bride, Holiday Mail Order Bride Book 2

Now Available on AUDIBLE | AMAZON | ITUNES

MEET THE VOICE BEHIND THE PAGES

MICHAEL RAHHAL

Michael Rahhal has been a performer for his entire life. He has been performing, writing and directing comedy, theater, music and public or private events for the past 20 years. He has toured the world and collaborated with Blue Man Group as a writer, director and performer, founding members of The Wooster Group and as a writer, director, producer and performer for New Belgium Brewing Co.’s nonprofit touring bikes-and-beer festival “Tour De Fat”, where he helped raise over $500,000 for bike nonprofit organizations around the U.S. He also had his own hour-long solo comedy show at Caroline’s on Broadway, performed with Center Theater Group in Los Angeles and the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts.

As an audiobook narrator, his credits include The Wicked Passage: A Blake Wyatt Adventure by N.M. Singel, Realms of Mystery: A Forgotten Realms Anthology, Dragons of Chaos: A Dragonlance Anthology, And the Girl Screamed by Gil Brewer, Kolchak’s Gold by Brian Garfield, The Two Faces of Tomorrow by James P. Hogan, and Rule: A Marked Men Novel by Jay Crownover. All of these titles are available on audible.com. He has also narrated feature documentaries, as well as various animated comedic shorts. Since moving to Los Angeles, he has frequented the comedy lineups of “What’s Up Tiger Lily”, “Garage Comedy” and “The Tomorrow Show”, as well as “Hot Tub with Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler”. He also has been studying and now teaching Krav Maga, a self-defense system that is as fun and effective as it is easy to learn, for he believes all bullies, bad guys and would-be assailants deserve to get kicked in the groin several times for preying on us regular folks.

Searching for that Spiritual Guidance ....

I just read an article about why people are leaving the Church. Now it didn't say which church but generally I believe it's agreed that when you say 'the Church' it is meant as the Catholic Church. So I am writing this post with that assumption in mind.

I get that Church now days can be intimidating and frustrating. I know for a period of time it was for me too. For a long period of time. From 2007 until 2014 stepping into church was beyond painful and extremely hard to bare. And for most of that time I blamed the Church for my absence. I had my reasons, and my right. But that didn't exactly make me correct. Even though my reasons were correct.

It was me. There was so much going on in my heart and soul that facing those demons, the church demons, was just too much.

Someone once told me, I believe it was my friend Kelly in high school, that God puts people in our lives for a reason. A reason we don't necessarily know, and may never know. She was very wise beyond her years, that Kelly. Anyway - I had someone who encouraged me to go back and face my demons. My boss.

Now I've known my boss since 2006. He was around for all of my marriage, all of my lost babies/pregnancies, my stent in the hospital when I got septic infection. And he was most of all a friend. Now why am I stating all this you wonder? Because I want you to understand the relationship that was there and why it was okay for him to push me to do what needed to be done. And I believe he was put in my life to be there for me - when I was ready to forgive.

In 2007 I lost my first child, she ... she was dying in my womb and there was a very high potential for me to become ill because of it. (Which later that year I ironically did) So we were forced to abort. Never in my life would I have ever thought I would be signing those papers to have an abortion. In Texas, it is like an act of Congress to perform this. It felt like I had to sign twenty seven different papers all stating I understood I was killing my child. My child....

It didn't matter that she was already dying and wouldn't make it to full term. Or if she did she would come out as a mushed up baby with no head and die instantaneously. All that mattered to the State of Texas was that I knew I was killing my child.

Growing up Catholic, this guilt I carried around was too much. It weighed me down. So naturally I thought Confession was the next step at peace.

And that single act was a total disaster. I went to the Church at my lowest moment, turning to it for love and support. And the priest shunned me.

It took me 7 years to really understand that a priest is just a man. A man like my husband or father or brother. A man who is allowed to sin himself. A man who is allowed to fall from Grace because maybe he doesn't know any better.

So back to 2014 and my boss. Some of my other blog posts you might remember where I had been working on my self. Working on becoming healthier and happier. Since fall of 2013 I've been on my own quest to better myself as a human being. And in Feb of 2014 my boss and I had the talk.

The Lent talk. And the facing ones demons talk.

My husband told me that if I want to participate in Lent I should l do something meaningful. And he was right. So I told my boss this and my boss said, "You should go back to the Church and face the past."

It took me a long time to think about this and become okay with it.

But I did it. I contacted the head Priest at the church and scheduled a meeting with one of the associate pastors.

It was the best thing I could do for myself, and for my spirit.

And I learned the real reason I wasn't in church - forgiveness.

I hadn't forgiven myself and God for what had happened.

So when I read this article ( Dear Church, Here's Why People Are Really Leaving ) it made me really think. Why are people leaving? And it's, to me, because of forgiveness.

You might read this article and wonder why that's what I came up with but here are my reasons.

-People are too hard on themselves and we don't allow ourselves to fail. We hold it against us until the burden becomes too much.

-People also expect from the church what it isn't necessarily there to give. People expect clear cut signs, but that's not religion. Religion is faith. And having faith is believing in a power that is lager than you. A source of life that isn't your own. And when the Church doesn't instantly give you that sign, you hold a grudge. You need to forgive the church for being made up of humans.

-The Church needs to forgive us regular people for being individuals who can be lead astray. Leaders of the church come down too hard on its sinners. Jesus embraced the sinners and forgave them. So should the Church.

-People think they know more. They know best. They know it all. And that allows them to derail from the most important aspect of religion. Community and Faith. We should come together to study faith and celebrate in our community. But instead people get derailed and start spouting off their own ideology and use the Church as their backing because it's what is in the scripture. These radicals and Evangelical people shouldn't deter you from your faith. You need to forgive them from their sins and move on.

-The Church is made up of humans ... and to be human means to sin. So we need to forgive our leaders for their transgressions, just as we ask God to forgive us of ours.

All that angst and animosity isn't healthy. Some of the worst people I have known have been Christians. And by 'worst' I mean hateful and judgmental. Some of the nicest have been Jewish.

We all believe in the same God - why can't us Christians be a little more like our Jewish brothers and sisters and forgive one another.

So this is my opinion on why religion is coming short to people as of late .... Maybe we should work on ourselves before we cast the stones.

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men of their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Ephesians 4:31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Sunday Review: Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4) By Diana Gabaldon

Title DRUMS OF AUTUMN
Author Diana Gabaldon
Source Purchase from Amazon
Purchase Link AMAZON

Blurb

It began at an ancient Scottish stone circle. There, a doorway, open to a select few, leads into the past—or the grave. Dr. Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once but twice.

Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot whose love for her became a legend—a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in the American colonies. But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century—their daughter, Brianna....

Now Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the circle of stones and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history ... and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past ... or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong....


Review

There is a lot I want to say about this series and honestly I can't remember if I reviewed the third book on my blog or not. I know I reviewed the first two. Anyways .... this was a VERY hard series to fall in love with. ( Read the Review Here ) But now, I'm hooked!

This book had the usual up and down of insane and crazy drama that just only happens to Claire and Jamie. I wish the author wasn't so hard on these poor characters!

We are really getting to know Bree and Roger more. LOVE those two! I think they are why I am really hooked on the series now.

Ms. Gabaldon's writing is amazing. It truly is. She has a flow that just, can't be met. I still read her books with the idea in my head of, If I was an editor what would I cut and I always come up short.

I just wish her books weren't so long. Even though every bit of detail is needed, and desired. It's such a catch 22!

I've now decided I am going to keep on reading the series. Like I told my husband ... after 120 hours of reading/listening to the audio books ... you are kinda required to finish!

Overall this is a 4.5.

Gluten Free Friday Home Made Recipe #13: Bread Loaf

This actually turned out a lot better than I had expected it too. Especially since I was using the quinoa flour. Remember, most of the time I am getting these gluten free recipes from somewhere else and tweeking them to what my husband and I have available and like.

I've actually used this loaf and made garlic bread out of a few slices. That added some extra nice flavor to it.

This still had a touch of an issue with crumbling. But I often find most home made bread I've made (in the bread machine) crumbles some. So I am not sure if that was my error or the nature of the beast.

Now I don't have an oven cooking time since I used the Basic Function on my Bread Machine and it cooked it for 3 hours and 20 minutes. I doubt that's how long you would cook it in an oven.

I mixed wet ingredients first and then added dry ones second inside the bread machine container.

Good Luck and as always, Happy Eating!

As always all products are organic and gluten free

(If you need the method to create the flour used in this recipe please see blog post here)

Wet Ingredients

3 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup of water
1 cup of hemp milk.

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of quinoa flour
1 1/2 cups of wild rice flour
1/3 cups of pure cane sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1 tablespoon of yeast (although I don't think this actually did anything, as this didn't rise)

In a small bowl combine the wet ingredients and once properly blended pour into the bread maker container.

In a different bowl combine the flour and mix together. Then add the salt, sugar and yeast. Thoroughly mix together and then pour into the bread maker container.

With a rubber spatula mix the wet and dry ingredients together in the container.

Pres start on the bread maker, cook on the 'basic' function.

Overall this was about a 3.5 out of 5 star bread loaf!

HEA Book Tours Presents: LIGHT IN DARKNESS by Brandy L Rivers

LIGHT IN DARKNESS

Author: Brandy L Rivers

Series: Others of Edenton: Book 6

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Sometimes light comes from the darkest shadows…

Lincoln, having been sheltered his whole life, is finally finding his path after losing his mother. Gaining confidence isn’t easy, but he can’t resist going after the woman he craves.

Victoria believes she is a monster. Her past is full of darkness and pain, horrors she would protect Lincoln from. Pushing him away proves harder than she imagined now that his heart is set on her.

A secret is revealed when a group of Other hunters come searching for Victoria, putting Lincoln in danger.

Will darkness consume Victoria? Or will Lincoln’s light show her the truth?

~ PRE-ORDER ~

AMAZON 

~ TEASERS ~

~ OTHERS OF EDENTON SERIES ~

- New Beginnings, #0.5: http://amzn.to/19shmii

- In Too Deep, #1: http://amzn.to/1FsGP7j

- Shadows Fall, A Novellete #1.5: http://amzn.to/1Co7mn5

- Shadows of the Past, #2: http://amzn.to/1CmtcFV

- Fated Love, Novella #2.5: http://amzn.to/1EklEjA

- Falling Into Place, #3: http://amzn.to/1AwCzhw

- Breaking Free, #4: http://amzn.to/1MG5W6U

- Mending Scars, #5: http://amzn.to/1BwVB7T
- Light in Darkness, #6: http://amzn.to/1FonVdS

- Others of Edenton BOXSET #1

Includes: New Beginnings, In Too Deep, Shadows Fall, and Shadows of the Past: http://amzn.to/1MFma1L

- Others of Edenton BOXSET #2
Includes: Fate Love, Falling Into Place, Breaking Free, Mending Scars, and Labor of Love: http://amzn.to/1CX1Q7R

~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~

Brandy L Rivers

I've always loved books, especially about monsters and magic, so I started writing. I'm working on a prequel and the next few books in the Others of Edenton series, and I have a head full of stories to share.

I'm a stay at home mother with a wonderful husband who lets me write and write to my hearts content.

Social media links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

~ Tour Host ~

HEA Book Tours, PR & More: http://heabooktours.blogspot.com/

Sunday Review: Sage Blog Tours Presents: Madame Lilly, Time of Sanura Vol #3 by Dormaine G.

Title Madame Lilly, Time of Sanura
Author Dormaine G.
Source Received in exchange for an honest review
Purchase Link AMAZON

Blurb

History has a way of repeating itself

Madame Lilly journeys back in time to her great-grandmother's era, the time of Sanura. Both women possess more than a kinship for they are each bound to harmful spirits whom they refuse to relinquish. By the hand of a mysterious being, Elijah, Lilly is transported into the past to witness the dark path Sanura chose—ultimately leading to her demise.

Sanura fights to deny her ability to see the non-living, but the more she refuses the sight, the more the dead flock to her. A dreadful accident takes place, forcing her to finally accept her once unwanted gift. She soon welcomes the dead.

Through Sanura's struggle of growing up an innocent child forced to take on the burdens no one should carry, she ultimately transforms into a frightfully powerful woman. Lilly watches from afar as Sanura grows more commanding with each act of wickedness, until her final downfall. Even then, Sanura refuses to surrender her bound spirits for they need her as much as she needs them.

Review

This was a very difficult story to review. Overall I think this was an average short story. It didn't keep me enthralled but I did finish it in one sitting. So that has to mean something right?

The characters were interesting. I liked the main character for the most part. She was a strong woman but not so strong it was being shoved in your face. I really like when its easy to accept like it was in this book.

The plot moved along rather quickly. I realize for a short novella the plots tend to do that. But I would have liked to have seen more depth in the characters instead of the faced paced plot.

Overall I'm giving this a 3 star. While it was decent in the plot line I really wanted more out of it to slow the pace.

If you like novella's and short stories then you are probably used to the quicker pace. You would most likely like this one.

Gluten Free Friday Homemade Recipe #12: Sweet Potato Muffins

Here is a delicious yet some what complicated recipe for muffins. It's a 5 Star winner.

When I read the original recipe it seemed very easy, it was all white flour. But then I wanted to make it gluten free, organic and milk free. That's when it got complicated! So in the event you don't want to make it gluten free just substitute white flour for all my flour ingredients and that should work for you. And regular buttermilk instead of the buttermilk I made.

If you are making all of the products at one sitting this should take you roughly 1 hour to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.

I think this would taste extremely good with raisins inside of it. I'm going to try it next with that added. You could also add nuts or anything that you feel would compliment sweet potato flavor.

It should be noted the Quinoa flour tastes and smells a bit nutty. So please make sure you use this in a recipe where there are other strong main ingredients. Unless you simply love the taste of nuts!

At the bottom of the post are the instructions for the homemade buttermilk and flours used inside this recipe. I encourage you to make these before you start cooking to make the prep time about 20 minutes instead of an hour.

As always, all the ingredients are organic and gluten free

Happy Eating, and Enjoy!

Ingredients):
Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup wild rice flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
3/4 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon Mediterranean Sea Salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Wet Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup hemp buttermilk
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons organic butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/3 cups cooked mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium-large sweet potato)

Streusel Topping:
2 tablespoons organic butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup quinoa flour
2 tablespoons oatmeal (rolled oats)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with organic oil.


Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Set aside.

In a pan boil 1 sweet potato until soft enough to mash. Once completed mash prior to putting into the 'wet' dish.

Now combine the wet ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking everything together.

Moving on to the streusel topping, cream the butter and brown sugar together in a small bowl, then add the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, and nutmeg to taste. Blend with your fingers to form a crumbly mixture. Set it aside, too.

Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until not quite blended,  with just a couple of strokes, so the mixture is just barely combined. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Divide the streusel evenly, sprinkling over the tops of the muffins.

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, then serve, warm.





Additional Directions:

If you do not have these flour and buttermilk already made here are the instructions.

Wild Rice Flour:
Wash rice thoroughly and then soak in cold water for 3 hours. I put ice cubes in my water bowl and had the rice in a strainer. Then place into a sauce pan and turn heat on low. Let the rice dry out but not brown in the pan. Once rice is ready for grinding take 1/2 cup of rice at a time into a blender. Once its the texture you want place it on a cheese cloth overnight to dry out. When the rice has dried out place in an air tight container and refrigerate.

 Quinoa Flour:
Wash Quinoa seeds thoroughly until the water runs clean. Then place on a flat sheet and bake in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes. Once they have cooled off place 1/4 of a cup full at a time inside the blender. Place inside a sealed container and refrigerate. Will last up to a year.

Hemp Buttermilk:
Take 1 cup of Hemp Milk and place it into a sauce pan. Take 1/4 cup of lemon juice and mix in. Put the burner to low to medium heat and place the pan on it for 5-10 minutes. Stir it moderately to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and let cool. Then place in a sealed container and refrigerate.

Sage Blog Tours Presents: Mango Girl by Joe Canzano

Magno Girl

By Joe Canzano

Genre: Comic Urban Fantasy

99 Cents @ Amazon

Book Synopsis:

When a Manhattan pizza maker is found dead in his own dough, Magno Girl enlists the aid of her biker ninja boyfriend to help solve the crime – and quickly discovers there’s more to the pie than meets the eye, including a sinister plot that spans the globe.

Magno Girl leaps into action. After all, she can fly, she can fight, and she can use her fearsome superpower, the “Gaze of the Guilt,” to bring a hardened criminal to his knees. But the road ahead is hard. The city’s other superheroes despise her, and the cops don’t want her around, and her own mom won’t stop spitting out advice about marrying a “respectable guy” and trading in her crime-fighting career for a baby carriage—but is she attracted to “respectable guys”? And is she interested in emotional commitment? And will finding real love be her biggest challenge of all?

Welcome to the world of Magno Girl, a wild and absurd place filled with humor, action, and romance.

Author Bio

Joe Canzano’s interest in stories started at the age of three, when his mother read him Peter Rabbit. Unfortunately, his grandfather shot Peter and shoved him into a pot, convincing Joe at a young age to never write a story about a fuzzy animal.

Through his school days, English was the only subject that didn’t put him to sleep. He has a BA in English from Rutgers University.

Joe once wrote a 10,000 line epic poem about an upscale madam and the secret agent who falls in love with her. He figured this would take the literary world by storm since there was nothing like it on the bestseller lists. He soon discovered there was good reason for this. As one editor said, “Epic poetry ain’t what it used to be.” Well, crap. Joe decided to write something else.

Joe’s hero is Wile E. Coyote because he keeps on trying, no matter how many times a big rock falls on his head.

Joe’s short stories have been published in the following places: Akashic Books Online, Happy Magazine, The Chrysalis Reader, The Wisconsin Review, Studio One, Pearl, Schuylkill Valley Journal, Quercus Review
Joe is a rock and roll singer, songwriter, and guitar player, and his stories and style are influenced as much by the Ramones and Lou Reed as they are by Kurt Vonnegut, Mark Twain, Elmore Leonard, Christopher Moore, and Tom Robbins.

Joe’s publishing company, Happy Joe Control, has several other novels to be released in the near future.


Links:
www.happyjoe.net

www.facebook.com/happyjoecanzano

www.twitter.com/happyjoecanzano

amazon.com/author/joecanzano

goodreads.com/joecanzano

HEA Book Tours Presents: Monochrome My Madness by A. Giannoccaro

MONOCHROME MY MADNESS

Author: A. Giannoccaro

Series: Colour Series, Book 2 ~ Standalone Novels 

Genres: Dark Romance | Romantic Suspense | Erotica 

~ SYNOPSIS ~

“If you love something, kill it. Before it kills you.”

I am a villain, a monster and am here with a plan to execute. She is not part of my plan. She is poison and she is going to kill me.

I will let her, because my broken black heart beats with love for her.

~ Callum

Death follows me like a shadow creeping silently after me, tethered to my blackened soul. I am cursed to carry it with me everywhere I go. It is never far away from me, and I am perfectly happy with that. The dark shadow of death keeps me alive in this rotten fucking world.

Light through the grey shadow changes everything. It changes me.

He took my madness and broke me. I am going to kill him.

~ Shannon

Are you ready to love and let die with Callum and Shannon?

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~ PURCHASE ~

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~ TEASERS ~

~ EXCERPT ~

★★★ ADULT CONTENT WARNING ★★★

***Exceprt from Monochrome My Madness – Unedited and subject to change. Copyright © A.Giannoccaro 2015***

★★★ Not suitable for readers under 18 and may contain triggers ★★★

  

A prologue to the madness

Callum

There was a time before this time my demons were too much to bear.

My head is pounding and my mouth feels like I ate a bowl of cotton wool for dinner. As I pull my naked self up on the couch, I can see the carnage of my night all over the apartment. The glass coffee table that should be in front of me is shattered into a million tiny pieces on my carpet that is now blood stained. I look at my hands and I just know. I swallow the dryness in my mouth and stand slowly my bare feet crunch and slice open on the glass. I don’t feel the cuts and splinters because my mind is racing full speed to what will await me when I find the person I brought home last night.

Why do beautiful girls seek me out? Do they not sense the danger? I thought girls had a sixth sense about these things?

The morning sun fills the room as a soft breeze blows in off the bay and through the open balcony doors. I can see the one glass door is shattered and the light is fractured as it shines through the cracked pane. The ocean air is cleansing and fresh in my lungs, and it eases some of the heat that sweats out of my naked skin.

I slowly step over the debris that litters my home and the dread becomes worse. I stop when I find my cell phone on the passage floor and type a text to Rowan.

Come now.

I know whatever I find will not be good, the absolute destruction around me is worse than I have ever seen before. What have I done?

I step over woman’s underwear that is shredded into pieces as I walk down the dim passageway into the aftermath of my actions. I step over more glass and the contents of a ladies' handbag, her lipstick, tampons and credit cards scattered across the white tile floor of the passage. Every step I get closer to facing the reality of what I did. Again. I step on her key chain and pain shoots up my leg. Fuck me that hurts. I kick the offending keys out the way they skitter across the floor and land against the wall.

My phone vibrates in my hand, I don’t look at it, I know it is Rowan with a slew of curse words and a message that he is on the way. Again.

I can feel my heart beating in my chest and my hands are shaking, this has to be the worst I have ever woken up to. I see theblood spatter on the wall outside of the guest bathroom and the first flashback crashes into my pounding head and consumes me.

My hands on her throat, as I slammed into her against that wall, her head hitting it over and over. I raped her sinful little body. The wailing cries that escaped her as she begged me, pleaded with me stop. I didn’t stop abusing her body or her mind. The blood smeared down the wall as she sank to the floor and sobbed before I dragged her to my room by her arm.

I cannot control it when this happens. Sweat beads down my chest as it heaves with apprehension at what I am going to see in my room. What I did? This blind rage towards woman, the lack of focus and the fact that I lose touch with reality completely is making me worry for the first time ever. I know I have something wrong with me, but no idea what or how to fix it. I am fucked up, broken and useless. I need help! Where the hell is Rowan, he needs to get here.

I slowly push the door of my bedroom completely open and brace myself for what I will see. I blink my eyes closed and open them slowly to take in what the monster within me has done – this time.

Draped across my white bedcovers that are now spattered and soaked with blood is the body of a beautiful young woman. She isn’t moving and I instantly run to see if she is alive. Please tell me I haven’t murdered her. I don’t want to start killing them. I just hurt them, hurting them helps. It fixes me. She is facing down in the sheets and her back, thighs and ass are a bloodied mess where I took to them with my belt. Her hands are still bound behind her back with a cable tie and the blood has dried where it has ripped into her delicate skin.

I try to breathe in and out, but it feels impossible the smell of blood is ripe in the air. I roll her limp body over so that I can see the face I have destroyed. She is unrecognizable my fists have melted her face into a mass of bruised broken flesh. I am sick, I did this and I don’t even remember it all. I feel her neck for a pulse, it is there, but so weak I can barely feel it. I sit on the edge of the bed hangmy head in shame and try to forget that this is what I do. Over and over, I hurt these women I need help I need to stop.

I hear the front door slam closed, thank God, Rowan is here. “Callum” he yells to find me. I cannot answer I know he can see the carnage as he walks through my home.

“Callum what the fuck!” I hear him yelling again. I just sit there naked, ashamed and completely fucking broken. I can hear him mumbling at someone on the phone. Cleaners, he will get them to clean, but what can I do with her. She is never going to be the same.This one cannot walk away and try to forget.

When he does eventually enter my room, he ignores me. The girl is his first stop I watch as he checks her pulse and shakes his head. He looks at me with that look, the look that says I have disappointed him again. Then pulls out his silenced gun and shoots her in the head that I smashed in over and over again. She is gone in second, he doesn’t even flinch or blink, she is just another number to him.

“I am not letting her live like a vegetable you fucker! Get dressed! We need to talk.” Rowan spits his words out glaring at me his anger is just a simmer he can control it so well. I cannot.

I take a shower and wash the dead girl’s blood off my body, I can hear the shuffles and gasps of the cleaners outside the bathroom door as I try to wash away the evidence of my madness. The water can clean my body, but my mind is so dirty I don’t even want to think.

I find Rowan in my kitchen barking at the men he uses to clean up after a kill, he is usually a lot less messy and this is a big job to fix. He eyes me with the blue eyes that have a hell behind them and shakes his head. “Callum, this is the last time. That in there, that was too far. What is going on? You cannot do this forever! Someone will catch you.” I run a hand over my beard and try to think what caused it, I don’t have an answer, I never do, it just happens.