The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook

When I saw this cookbook I knew it would be a great addition to my cooking library since I already had an instant pot. I had actually never used the instant pot for much beyond hard boiled eggs because I didn't understand how to use it. The user interface on the instant pot definitely takes some time to figure out and one should probably study the manual before trying to use it. However, I was lazy and just wanted something to tell me what to do. That's where this cookbook comes in. 

The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook is great because it take you step-by-step on what settings you need to put the instant pot at. In order to test this cookbook I let my husband choose a recipe in the book and so it was decided that we would be having Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya (p. 66). The instructions were clear and the ingredients were not hard to come by. The recipe as well as the instant pot also allows for some flexibility because I'm pretty sure I didn't do everything exactly right. The jambalaya was definitely decent on its own but with some tabasco it added a kick of delicious! Though the meals may not look as appetizing as the pictures within the book the dish was definitely solid and for something that only took about 10 min of prep and 10 min of cooking time, it was worth it. 

The book itself is nicely made and full of appetizing pictures to pull at your stomach and make your mouth water. I will definitely be trying out more recipes from this cookbook and would recommend it for instant pot owners.

I have received this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

Understanding Color in Photography

As a new photography enthusiast, I was ecstatic to get this book by Bryan Peterson. Peterson is a veteran photographer with so much wisdom and insight to share. Within this book, you find so much information and tips on how to work with color and adjust accordingly to render the best images possible.

The book itself is full of beautiful images with vibrant colors. With every turn of a page, you find yourself looking at another pop of color and descriptions on how that image was captured. I enjoyed how many of these images had short stories to them about how the photographer came across the shot. There is also a section of the book that talks about different colors and gives a brief background to the color. The author describes the color, the mood it imbues, and complementary colors.

Overall, this is an informative book on how to be effective as a photographer when using color. All of the pictures in the book also provide for great examples and is simply pleasing to the reader who just wants to flip through.

I have received this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

Start Where You Are Notecards by Meera Patel

I had the chance to receive this darling collection of watercolor prints on notecards all designed by Meera Patel. Meera is a self-taught artist who creates things to encourage others, which is apparent in this set of notecards. Each notecard has a beautiful illustration with some sort of message or quote that seeks to inspire the receiver. I think these notecards will be perfect to give to my family and friends especially if they are in need of some encouragement.

The physical cards themselves are on nice and simple, white cardstock with envelopes. I think the best part about this set is that even if you give the cards away (if you decide to part with them!) you are left with the cute box that can be used to store some small trinkets!

This set of notecards are beautiful and unique to give to loved ones and I know the recipient will appreciate the illustrations as well.

I received this product from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Hello, Bicycle

Hello, Bicycle by Anna Brones is a cute book that covered more than just bicycles. The book is a nice overview about everything related to bikes and is very nicely organized so that it doesn't become too wordy or boring. The set up of the book is very straight forward and covers everything from why you should bike, how you can look into getting a bike, how to take care of your bike, and how to incorporate biking into your life. This book isn't simply about bikes but rather what you need to know in order to bike efficiently and also have fun with it!

The book is pleasing to the eye and has cute pictures scattered all throughout the pages. I thought it was interesting that the book even had a section with some recipes on snacks to take on-the-go as a biker. All-in-all, this is a very informative book that encourages people to get on a bike and how to incorporate biking into all aspects of your life such as commute, exercise, business, and leisure. However, if you want a more comprehensive book about bikes (i.e., anatomy of the bike, bike parts, and how to fix bikes) this book is not for you. Simply put, this book is more a general overview about biking as a lifestyle.

I received this product from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Punderific

I got this game because I was intrigued by the idea of making puns for a game. It's an interesting concept but it definitely requires some thinking for people who are not adept at making puns. I personally have a hard time making puns on the spot and it may also be difficult for others. Also, the concept of this game is unappealing for some because it may sound "boring" to people who don't enjoy a good pun or two. I think it can get boring pretty quickly as well.

The game itself is made up of good quality cards in a nicely made box. The game is pretty straight forward and the game provides a small pad of paper to start you off but depending on how much gameplay it gets you may need to provide your own paper. Overall, the game is an interesting concept but may not be enjoyable for people who want a simple mindless game or do not enjoy puns.

I received this product from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Gardening coming to a rooftop near you!

I don't live in a city with a rooftop such as the cover page image (which is very nice), but I do love anything that deals with gardening so I decided to take a look at this book. Even though I don't have a building top to start my new garden, I do have limited space and this book covers a lot of information regarding space management and how to efficiently raise your beloved plant friends. 

The book was very informative in all aspects even if I knew I would not be doing all of this on a rooftop I knew it would be applicable to other types of gardening. The book reviews lots of information that I never even expected (such as light exposure!) and also things that I needed to know such as irrigation methods. I was intrigued by the section that explained how to build your own subirrigated container to grow vertically growing plants! Although I won't be using all this new found knowledge, I will definitely be putting some of it to good use. The book even identified common pests that may plague your garden (darn you aphids!).

All the pictures and drawn images are beautiful and straight forward, making the book even more enjoyable. Overall, I think this book would be a great resource for people who wants to grow a garden in a concrete jungle. If you don't live somewhere that would make you consider growing a rooftop garden, you can still learn a thing or two about gardening efficiently.

I have received this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies & Toddlers

Wow! Just wow! I have to say that I'm a student nurse and I am currently going through my pediatric rotation. I figured this book would be interesting to learn more about feeding and also to be able to teach my friends who are planning to have kids! The book is so much more than simply a guide to feeding. It tells you all the basics of development, nutrition, feeding strategies and tips, recipes for the baby AND recipes for the parents. I was blown away by what this book had to offer and am learning so much on top of what I already know. 

The book is in an easy to read format for the soon-to-be mom/dad and people who simply want to learn more about pediatric nutrition and GI issues. The book is full of interesting information and even has information about special diets for children who are allergic to certain types of foods. There is a little bubble on the back cover that says "for Parents, by Parents". The book was written by two doctors who are also parents and is such a great resource for all parents and even educators of parents. It has all the information a new parent would have and more! I would definitely recommend this book to all parents.

I have received this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review.