Potluck Club Takes the Cake (#3)- (Book Review)

I am a sucker for book series and have read my fair share: Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Twilight, The Cat Who, and Shopaholic. Always on the look out for another long term book series I can sink my teeth in to, I had to share the last one I just finished.

I had acquired the first 2 books the series, The Potluck Club and The Potluck Club: Troubles Brewing, on amazon for free for my kindle. I enjoyed them so much that I requested The Potluck Club Takes the Cake from Paperback Swap. (Check out my post here on how to get free books from amazon and paperback swap yourself, in case you missed it!)

Book #3 of the Potluck Club continues as the women find love lost and gained, friendship, and struggle through difficulties of life. They are fairly easy reads and don’t require much thinking, which are great for me in my downtime. Each chapter starts with a new narrator and a new recipe to try out. Bonus! All in all they are a good read and you will fall in love with the characters.

Even though it looks like there is not another book in this line of the series, the authors have written a venture for the Potluck ladies, a catering club. The next three books are The Secret’s in the Sauce, A Taste of Fame , and Bake Until Golden (which came out this past January). You can also check out the author’s website here which has information about the books, recipes, and instructions on how to start a book club!

I know I am pretty behind on the times since these books were published a few years ago, but I’ll bet there are many series I don’t even know exist that would be fabulous to start!

What new series have you found recently? Comment below!

 

Captain America! From Scrawny to Brawny (Movie Review)

Look at this poster. Does it not just scream patriotism? And America?

I digress. The tongue in cheek nature that is common in this line of Marvel movies is just as prevalent here. The last in the line of movies leading up to The Avengers (Iron Man, Hulk, and Thor came before it), Captain America tells the story of every classic geek’s fantasy: skinny nerd wants to make something more of himself (and get a girl), gets himself “found” by mad genius scientist, and a few minor procedures later becomes more than he could have ever dreamed.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie, however, I felt something lacking in this movie. Maybe it is that we are so saturated with superhero movies? Believe me, the comic lovers in my house (along with my friends) will probably berate me for saying so. The problem stems from the fact that I most enjoy movies driven by plots, stories, and intricate twists. The boys in my house like this as well, but they LOVE the graphics and CGI. This movie has it, in spades. Particularly because for the entire beginning of the movie, Chris Evan’s head is superimposed on a 90 pound weakling’s body. Most of the time you don’t notice, but every once in awhile the head is at a weird angle. After that, the action lovers will not be disappointed either.

Make sure to stay until after the credits (we were the only one’s who did in our theater) for a sneak peak at the new Avengers movie.

Anyone else see this movie? What are your thoughts? Post in the comments below!

Also some coming news: As an affiliate of Fusion Three Productions, I am proud to announce the relaunch of our Empower the Audience blog site in the coming days. We will review movies, television, games, and many other entertainment and tech items. Entries like the one above will at that time be posted in both places. Look here for the official release date!

 

 

 

 

Cheap app- Shop Kick

Shopkick is a new free app for Iphone/ Ipod or Android which gives you rewards for checking in and gives you the ability to look for discounts at participating stores. I am especially looking forward to the ability to use this in Target, although many of the stores listed on the app I never go into. But nevertheless, I am sure it will grow over time and add many more stores to it’s lineup.

Also, don’t forget to LIKE them on Facebook if this app really floats your boat!

What apps do you use on your mobile device that helps you save? Post in the comments below!

 

What do you think about Google+? (Poll)

Make yourself heard! And comment below!

 

Weather won’t keep me down! and Google+

Due to the oncoming weather conditions that may or may not come with Hurricane Irene, I am slaving away like a, well, slave….trying to write posts that will be released over time. So please don’t think I am slacking off already. NOPE!

Besides that, I am wondering about Google+, how many people use it, and what you all think? So I am sending out a poll directly following.

Anybody need an invite? Comment below! Anyone need more friends or to add me? Comment below!

A Love Affair with my Kindle

I am a pretty huge bibliophile. To me, any task could be done with a book: car trips, solitary meals, even bathroom breaks. I never thought I would be able to  make the switch from the feel of paperbacks in my hand to a digital reader. Until I received a Kindle this past Christmas from my mother-in-law! Now after scouring amazon for free books (I have over 500 I have never paid for), I can’t give it up.For all you literary lovers out there, printed or electronic, there are resources for you to get free or practically free books to read.

Paper Back Swap – This online book sharing community is one I have been a part of for over 5 years. You simply post books by their ISDN# to your account. For every one of your books that gets requested by another user and you send by mail, you get 1 credit. These credits can in turn be used to request a book be sent to you. It is free, except for the few dollars it costs to send it. The one downside is that sometimes it takes a little while for more popular books to be available to be sent. However, the trick is if there is a book you know in advance is one you want, you put it in your wish list to make sure you are closer to the top of the list.

Bookrooster– Sign up for this website to receive free advance copies of books and review them for amazon giftcard drawings. They will send you an email of a book when it become available as well as a synopsis. Simply click the link to reply and the first 30 people to respond will be sent a copy. If you don’t want to write a review on amazon, you don’t have to. But in order to be eligible for the drawing, you must link your amazon review to the bookrooster site. I joined a few months ago and currently have more books then I have time to read. Here are some of my reviews here.

Lendle OR ebookfling– These site is similar to Paperback Swap, just for digital copies. Lendle is for kindle users only, and ebookfling is for kindle and nook. Both sites have you post books for request and use a credit system based on how many books you post and/or lend. Lendle will also give you amazon gift credits if you are able to lend (which if you are lending the free ones from amazon, is rare). Keep in mind that Kindle books can only be lent once so if you ever want to lend books friends and family, you should not post on here.

A Kindle World Blog– I subscribe to this blog because they regularly post free and newly discounted books available through amazon. I go through these posts a few times a week a download the books that seem interesting to me.

What tricks do you have for getting cheap or free books? Do you prefer paper or digital? What sites are your favorites?