Reading Princess: P.C. and Kristin Cast's novelle, Neferet's Curse

I have been burning through the House of Night series this past week. Two full novels and two novellas. So good that I could not put them down!

Ah, books. :)

Anyway, this week's review is for the House of Night novella, Neferet's Curse.

Order your copy from Amazon here.

Here is a snippet from the House of Night website:

The White City, 1893: In turn-of-the-century Chicago, with the World’s Fair bringing bustle and excitement to her home city, sixteen-year-old Emily Wheiler should be reveling in her youthful beauty and the excitement around her. But her whole life changed when her mother died, leaving her to be the Lady of Wheiler House. Her father, a powerful bank president, is at the center of an important social hub for the booming young city, and he needs Emily to do everything her mother would have – to be a good hostess and make sure the mansion runs smoothly.
As Emily uneasily tries to replace her mother, she also longs for more… for love and a life of her own. When a handsome young man notices her at one of her father’s parties, it seems that her hopes may finally be coming true. Until her father forbids her to see him – or any other man – and starts revealing a darkly violent side that even he can’t understand.
At last, afraid for her life and with nowhere to turn, Emily is Marked by a vampyre and brought to the Chicago House of Night, where she begins a magickal new life that should allow the wounds from her past to heal. But as she gains strength, and a powerful new name, she carries a dark need to wreak vengeance on the man she trusted most.
From victim to High Priestess, beautiful young woman to powerful seductress, Neferet’s journey begins in NEFERET’S CURSE…

This novella follows the origin story of the series' villain, Neferet. Neferet has been one of my favorite characters since the series began and I love finding out more and more about her past. She is such a complex character with many trials and personal tragedies that lead into who she is at the series beginning.

I love period writing in the Victorian age and this book does deliver. Set in the late 1800s Chicago, Neferet's Curse outlines the life of Emily, the daughter of socially elite man who just lost his wife. This novel does have some dark and violent themes so I would not suggest it to anyone who has deep problems with the ideas of incest or rape.

I thought that some of the themes would not be fitting for the YA genre but the writing is so very subtle when it comes to these issues and there are no vividly graphic scenes.

In the end, Neferet's Curse was the perfect companion to the HON series and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good villain's origin story.

I give Neferet's Curse 4 out of 5 crowns!

PRINCESS APPROVED!

Read on, interwebbers and be sure to check out the House of Night Series by P.C. & Kristin Cast.

Princess K, out! 

Cooking Princess: Green Lemonade

Welcome back everyone!

It looks like my Wedding Dress Challenge series is becoming kinda popular. Thanks! To keep on with the "health" kick, today's recipe is for Green Lemonade.

Oh, don't give me that look, Ariel! It is actually really tasty. I discovered this tasty juice from my last juice cleanse. I got the recipe from Mr. Joe Cross, the star of Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.

His new book just came out in the US but I bought his former title at the Kindle store. Anyone interested in a juice diet/cleanse, I urge you to check out his books and website.

So, Green Lemonade. I don't have a real juicer at home but my NutriBullet does the job pretty well. I just have to strain the pulp out with my flour sifter and voila! Tasty juice and more then my dialy does of vegetables. This is a great way to supplement veggies into your diet without eating endless salads.

Sadly, my photobucket is on the fritz so all my pictures are not available. :( So, check out the ingredients below and have fun making your own juice. Remember to de-seed your apples and cucumbers before juicing or blending!

Green Lemonade
- 1 cucumber
- 1 stalk of celery (or less!)
- 2 green apples, no seeds
- a handful of leafy greens (I like spinach; kale is also good)
- juice of 1 lemon (I use the lemon juice in the plastic lemon and just add until it is tangy.)

Blend (with a small amount of water) or juice all ingredients together. If blending, use a strainer or cheese cloth to filter the juice from the pulp. Blend pulp again and repeat until desired.

Happy juicing and Princess K, out!

 

Fitness Princess: Wedding Dress Challenge Week #2

We're back with Fitness Princess K!

Last week was week one of the Wedding Dress Challenge and, boy, was it hard. Really, I have been hitting the treadmill several times a week over the last few months but I still feel out of shape after this last week.

Here is the video of last week's workout and fit list.
Phew! I get tired just looking at it! I did the workout three times, completed the 1 mile walk/jog (twice) and played Just Dance 3 as my "sneaky exercise." However, I did not get to the yoga part of my fit list!

Much like this penguin, I was going good until the yoga. :( However, I did spend two days out of my weekend lifting and moving stuff from Houston to my home in Louisiana.

My fit test results were as follows:
Combined results from three workouts
-Push ups: 62
-Squats: 90
-Burpees: 28
-Plank: 30 seconds average
-Flexability: I can touch my toes and hold it!

Not too bad. I did my push ups from my knees because I have a lot of difficulty with my shoulders. (Torn rotary cuff on one side and an aggravated nerve on the other. That's what I get for 10+ years of flute playing.)

I have lost 1 pound since last week and am down 1 inch on my hips and waist.

Now, onto this week! Check out the new workout here.
And here is the new nutrition check list for anyone who wants it.

 

Looks like we have added a new feature to extra! "Close the kitchen after dinner." Nice. I actually don't snack much after my dinner but I tend to eat around 8:30-9pm because Jeremy doesn't get home until then most nights. However, since I have reclaimed by slow cooker this past weekend, maybe I can move my dinner time before 8pm and still have warm dinner for Jeremy? 

Leave comments below on your experience with the first week of the WDC.

Princess K, out!

52 Questions: #8

Hello internet persons!

Princess K is back on this lovely Monday and that means it is question time! The last few questions (and my answers) have kinda....well, sucked. But I think today's will prove to be sudo interesting!

Question Number 8: What are the names of your brothers and sisters? Describe one or more things that stand out in your mind about each of your siblings.

See?! I knew this one would be more interesting. 

So, siblings. Yes, I have them...three of them.

My oldest brother is Nick. He is married to Kassi Hebert Dansby and they have a 2 year-old son, Logan. Nick loves Alabama football. Really, seriously, loves it. He is also going to school to get start his nursing degree while still working as a full-time paramedic.

My sister's name is Rachel. She is two years older than I am (the same age as my fiance!) and she has recently had a knee reconstruction surgery. Rachel is also going to be the Maid of Honor at my wedding next year. Rachel is going back to school at some point but since she can't even walk right now, that is going to wait.

Last, there is my little brother, Grayson. He is almost 20 years old but I still remember him as the obnoxious seven year old that we tied up with the vacuum cleaner cord. He is currently a volunteer fire fighter in Houston, Texas. 

Growing up, my siblings and I would get into all kinds of trouble. From climbing on the roof our house to running through the horse pastures playing tag, my siblings have always been great fun. 

Leave a comment about your own siblings below!

Princess K, out!

Reading Princess: P.C. and Kristen Cast's House of Night novel, Hidden.

What a week! I talked about the tragic (or lack thereof) things from my childhood, undertook a new fitness challenge, and made some delicious muffins!

Now it is Thursday and we have a new book review! This time I am starting with a new series of books that I have been reading over the years.

The House of Night series by P.C. & Kristen Cast!

There are currently 11 novels in this series, with the 12th and final book coming out in October. The Casts have also released 4 novellas and the Fledgling Handbook to supplement the series. Boy, they sure have been busy!

A little back story on this series since I am beginning this series of posts towards the end: House of Night takes place in a world where Vampyres are commonplace and humans can be marked to become a fledgling. The series follows Zoey Redbird, a teen in Tulsa, Oklahoma and her adventures into this new world of Vampyres, immortals, and goddesses.

Click on the cover to purchase your own copy of HON Hidden from Amazon.com!

Here is a summary straight from the houseofnightseries.com:

Hidden, the tenth installment of the series, the stakes are higher than ever before.

Neferet’s true nature has been revealed to the Vampyre High Council, so Zoey and the gang might finally get some help in defending themselves and their beloved school against a gathering evil that grows stronger every day. And they’ll need it, because Neferet’s not going down without a fight. Chaos reigns at the House of Night.


As with all of the House of Night books, this novel is rife with pop culture references, humor, and a fight between light and dark alongside the struggles of teenagers. I found all the characters delightful and having grown from one book to another. Without giving too much away, I am worried for one character who may be switching sides! (GASP!) The cliff hanger in this novel is not nearly as sharp as many of the other books but I was still relieved that the next book in the series is already out.

CONS:
The only issues with this book, to me, are that the pop culture references are going to become severely dated within a short span of time and that the "teenager drama" is still a little too prevalent. These people are fighting a timeless, ancient evil but the main character is still worrying about her ex-boyfriend? I suppose it adds an air of humanity and relate-ability to these characters but I believe it tends to overshadow the true story line.

Overall, I found Hidden to be a fun and sassy read. I give it 3.5 out of 5 crowns!

PRINCESS APPROVED!

I will continue to read and review the remainder of the House of Night novels and novellas in the coming weeks. 

Leave your own comment below or suggest a book!

Princess K, out!

Cooking Princess: Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins

Hello all!

Princess K here and I am cooking again! I know it is the middle of August, but I could not resist these delicious Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins from my 400 Calorie Fix Cook Book from Prevention.

I was needing a good, low-cal breakfast that I could prepare ahead of time and take along with very little effort. These muffins turned out perfect! Even Jeremy was snacking on some.

First, I needed to gather my supplies:

Flour, buttermilk, baking powder, eggs (not in picture), strawberry yogurt, vanilla extract, sugar (I used Truvia), ground cinnamon, salt, frozen berries, and butter (not in picture.)

I mixed all the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside,

melted  the butter,

and then mixed my eggs, buttermilk, yogurt, and melted butter together.

Next, I needed to put everything together and fold in my frozen berries.

The strawberries were on the large side, so I cut them up a bit before adding them.

Next, I threw this tasty mix into my muffin pan and let them bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes.

These muffins came out perfectly! Since I made them from scratch, I don't have nearly as many preservatives or chemicals in them as the little pouch mixes do.
To keep them fresh and moist, I let my muffins cool for about an hour and then put them in a Tupperware container with a paper towel under and on top of them. This locks in the moisture without making them soggy. I made these muffins on Sunday evening and they are still good on Wednesday afternoon!

Check out the official recipe below and happy cooking!

Princess K, out!

Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins!

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used Truvia instead of real sugar)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strawberry blended yogurt (about two single servings)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I used Vanilla)
• 1 cup frozen raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries

 Directions

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup (3 1/2" to 4" diameter) muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. COMBINE the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. WHISK together the eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, butter, and almond extract in a medium bowl.
4. FOLD the egg mixture into the flour mixture, until just mixed. Gently fold in the frozen berries.
5. SPOON into the muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Red, White, and Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strawberry blended yogurt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup frozen raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries

Directions

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup (3 1/2" to 4" diameter) muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. COMBINE the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. WHISK together the eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, butter, and almond extract in a medium bowl.
4. FOLD the egg mixture into the flour mixture, until just mixed. Gently fold in the frozen berries.
5. SPOON into the muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Nutritional Facts per serving (this is from following the recipe above with no substitutions; my muffins were about 100 calories each since I substituted Truvia for real sugar)

CALORIES	183.4 CAL
FAT	5.1 G
SATURATED FAT	2.9 G
SODIUM	249.3 MG
CARBOHYDRATES	30.1 G
TOTAL SUGARS	12.8 G
DIETARY FIBER	1 G
PROTEIN	4.3 G

Fitness Princess: The Wedding Dress Challenge

Welcome back to the blog!

I usually post crafting/sewing things on Tuesdays but unfortunately my machine is in the shop.

Sadness (especially since it is a brand new machine!).

So, instead of crafting, today I am going to update about a new fitness challenge I am undertaking.

THE REDBOOK WEDDING DRESS CHALLENGE!

You know, Redbook? The magazine?

Yeah, like that! I have never read Redbook magazine so this fitness challenge came to me via Pinterest. (PIN IT!)

Now, I have been losing weight little-by-little this year. Mostly, I have been watching what I eat and hitting the treadmill during my lunch break. I have also completed two juice fasts, courtesy of Joe Cross of Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. (It's a documentary on Netflix. Be sure to check it out!)

The Wedding Dress Challenge is a twelve week program that consists of three 15-minutes workouts (that change each week), a nutrition guide, and a weekly "Fit List," which is a varying list of fitness tasks to complete that week. The timing of this works well for me because I am actually planning to shop for my wedding dress in 12 weeks! (Crazy!)

I will be completing each workout on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while also continuing my treadmill exercises Monday thru Thursday. I have already been keeping track of my nutrition with my planner and will continue to do so.

If you are interested in reading more about the Wedding Dress Challenge head over to this site.

Week 1 Workout and Fit List: here.
Here is also the Nutrition Planner they provide:

I am not a fan of counting calories since that could make me fall back into my bad practice of "negative body image". My suggestion is to eat more veggies and fruits than you have been (odds are you haven't been eating enough of them!) and to cut out those "bad" carbs (like white bread and rice.) Try to substitute with whole grains.

Make sure to write down or log all your food! If it goes in your mouth, you jot it down. When I started to write down everything I was eating, it made me more accountable to what was going in my body. Too much fast food, not enough real food.  I like to use good, old fashioned pen and paper but there are a number of apps available for your smart phone or tablet (and some are free!)Find what works for you!

I will be updating on Tuesdays every week and also posting my own improvements. (Crafting/Sewing posts will move to Fridays.)

Feel free to post comments on your own fitness challenges or even if you want to undertake the Wedding Dress Challenge yourself!

Princess K, out!

 

52 Questions: #7

Welcome Back!

Last week was a bit of a downer with all the crazy-ness going on. First, Robin Williams dies and then all the madness in Ferguson, MO?! And even more stuff was going down last night (but that is a post for another day.)

Anyway, it's Monday and we all know what that means. 52 Questions Post!

Here we go with number 7!

Question #7: What kind of hardships or tragedies did your family experience while you were growing up?

.....well, so much for that "happy-go-lucky" feeling today, eh?

Ok, so hardships/tragedies....I am really not a good example of the "hard-knock life." I have heard stories of my parents having issues when I was very, very young (think baby-in-arms young) but I do not recall any of them personally.

My parents have dealt with: bankruptcy, employment issues, stalkers (that one story is rather frightening!), family issues, etc.

Gee.....this post just kinda sucks. :(

Leave a comment if you read this!

Princess K, out!
 

"Genie...You're Free":RIP Robin Williams

RIP to the late and beyond great 

Robin Williams

52 Questions: #6

Princess K welcomes all to her blog! HELLO!

We are back on another lovely Monday and ready to delve into the question of the week. Here we go!

Question 6.) Have any of your family members died yet?  If so, what do remember of their death and what were the circumstances of their death?

Well....so much for a happy question. But, as with everything in life, I guess we must also explore those things that are not always so joyful.

Aside from my dear Minnie (the link to her post is here) I have only had my great grandparents and a few estranged family members pass. There is, however, one member of my family whose death was rather shocking and sad to the majority of my mother's family. My Uncle Sammy.

Uncle Sammy was my Gran's brother (my mother's mother) and he had a rather troubled life in his later years. He actually survived a point blank shot to the head once and didn't even realize he had been shot until a few hours later.

His death was rather tragic. My Uncle Sammy was a notorious drinker but he usually got up most mornings to go to the local diner with his father (my great grand father.) One morning, my Granddaddy Paul went to pick him up but he didn't seem to be home. Thinking nothing of it, he simply went on to the diner. It was rather foggy that morning and my Granddaddy hit a large BUMP! in the middle of the road. That BUMP! was my Uncle Sammy, his son.

The autopsy later showed that Uncle Sammy had been deceased for sometime before my Granddaddy arrived. Everyone thinks this was just a horrendous hit-and-run incident. But my Granddaddy never got over the loss of his son.

I know that I will have to face the loss of my own family and loved ones someday, but I have seen first hand how devastating that can be. I'm in no rush.

Feel free to share any stories about family or friends you have lost in the comments below.

Until next time,
Princess K

Reading Princess: John Green's "Paper Towns"

Hello all!

As a Princess, I believe it is important to further my knowledge through reading....and its just fun!
I'm sure most of you have seen the new movie The Fault in Our Stars.

 

EXCELLENT movie! Jeremy and I saw it in theaters and I am not ashamed to say that I bawled like a school girl in public over this film.

Anyway, I had read The Fault in our Stars several months before the film was released.

Yeah, I sobbed through the end of the book, too. Jeremy was actually like:

OK, enough GIFs! The point is: I loved The Fault in Our Stars so much (besides viciously deleting my kindle copy from my library in a fit of rage) that I had to read more of John Green's novels.

So, the next trip to Barnes and Noble led to the purchase of Paper Towns. (Which is also getting a movie?! STFU!)

(Click the image to buy your own copy from barnesandnoble.com!)

Now, John Green is known for his unique take on the "coming of age"/"American high school" story genre. Green is a mad genius for his ability to engage his characters in unique, and in this novel, highly hilarious scenarios while all the while leading the reader to a grand philosophical turning point.

Summary from John Green's Website:

"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life–dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge–he follows. 
After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues–and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew."

This book is down right....hilarious! From the "World's Largest Black Santa Collection" to the night of mischief that Margo drags Q through, Paper Towns had me rolling with laughter not even 15 pages in!
While Paper Towns does follow the idea of a "coming of age" genre that is so popular today, it does not revolve around a tragic love story/triangle (how refreshing!)  Not only do we find the hilarity in what we think could be the impossible, but we are also shown that it is never too late to do something outside of your comfort zone...or just plain crazy!
One point I saw very interesting in Paper Towns was the concept of mirrors and windows. Q says something to the effect of everyone looking out into the world only really sees a mirror of what it is they want to see. (I swear, next time, I will actually write this quote down!) This is also true for the way we look at people. We project this image of what we want them to be, mirroring our wants, and that is what we see.
This concept got me thinking about my relationship with Jeremy. I have known him for almost ten years and I realize that in the beginning, I only saw him as a mirror of my own desires. However, as time as progressed and we have grown closer and farther and then closer still, the mirror has begun to crack and break, bit by bit. Where there is no mirror, there is only a window and now I see more and more of him for what he really is. The more of that mirror that fall away, the more I fall in love for things that are uniquely him. I know that the mirror will never fall away completely, but I feel the more time we spend together, the more I will be able to see him as he is.

I highly recommend Paper Towns by John Green to just about anyone and give it 5 out of 5 crowns!

PRINCESS APPROVED!

I intend to read the rest of John Green's books before the end of the year, so check back soon for more reviews!

Until next time, 

Princess K 

Cooking Princess: Chicken and Dumplings

Hello all!

Coming at ya with a ole southern classic: CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS!

In all honesty, I did NOT like Chicken and Dumplings when I was growing up. (Sacrilege for someone born and raised in South Alabama!) My mom always put these weird, frozen dumplings in hers and just....yuck.

However, Jeremy loves Chicken and Dumplings so I figured out a recipe. And it is so easy!
First, you must gather your supplies!

 Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup (I like the kind with herbs), chicken broth, chicken stock or bouillon, a rotisserie chicken (lots of chicken here), and some spices.
Plus...

 Half a stick of butter! (Channel your inner Paula Dean.)

For the dumplings, I just use some Pillsbury Grands biscuits. They come out really fluffy and tasty!

The first thing I do is tear into that rotisserie chicken! Be sure to pick out all the bones and check for the really tiny ones!
Most people use uncooked chicken breast or tenders, but I like the ease of just tossing everything in the pot.

 Next, we put the broth...

 ...soup...

 ...half stick of butter...

 ...stock...

...and spices in the pot and boil it up! (I love to add Tabasco to mine. Make it Cajun!)

Now, we toss in the chicken and let that all simmer for a bit while we prep the dumplings.

Take each biscuit and slice it into 8 pieces....

Then you just have to roll them up! I like to marinate them in Tabasco before tossing them in the pot.

Mickey loves some Chicken and Dumplings. He also loves his stuffed dragon, which is almost as big as he is!

Toss your dumplings in the pot and watch them grow! Keep stirring while it simmers or they will stick together.

This is what it looks like when done!

TASTY!

Nothing better than sitting at home with a good meal, a tasty drink, and a great book! (I will have a review of Kalona's Fall coming out in a few weeks.)

The entire recipe is below and feel free to comment with questions or to let me know how your meal turned out!

Happy cooking and until next time,

Princess K

Chicken and Dumplings
What you'll need:

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• 1 can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken and Herbs soup
• 32 oz of Chicken Broth
• 4 tbsp butter (half stick)
• chicken stock or bouillon cube
• 1 can of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits
• Spices of Choice and flour (for thickening)

1. First, pull all of the meat from the rotisserie chicken, being careful of the bones. Set aside.
2. In a large cooking pot, pour in chicken broth, soup, stock or bouillon, and spices and heat to mild boil. Add butter and let it melt before adding chicken.
3. On a plate, cut uncooked biscuits into 8 wedges per biscuit and roll between palms to create a small ball.
4. Once all the biscuits have been cut and rolled, start adding them to the pot.
5. Turn down heat and continue to stir while simmering. About 10-15 minutes.
6. Check the dumplings by slicing one in half. If the center is cooked through and hot, you are ready for supper!