Book Review: Hello Bicycle by Anna Brones

Title: Hello Bicycle
Author: Anna Brones
Source: Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary:

Riding a bike is one of life’s simple joys—it’s fun, freeing, and good for the planet and our health. Hello, Bicycle is a practical guide to the bike life with real-world advice, covering everything you need to know to up your bicycling game and ride with confidence and style:
→ Buying new, used, and custom bikes
→ Making the switch to bike commuting
→ Riding, locking, and storing your bike
→ Maintaining your bike at home (and what your mechanic should handle)
→ Picnicking, traveling, camping, and touring by bicycle
This inspiring, informative handbook offers something for cyclists of all types, whether you’re new to biking, looking to get back into it, or a seasoned rider who wants to take it to the next level.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this guide to bike riding! Bicycling is such a huge movement right now. Bike lanes are popping up more and more in cities, people are choosing to bike more to work, and events like the slow roll in Detroit, or Critical Mass, are gaining more bicyclists every month. It is also an up and coming industry, with specialty bike shops opening up all over the map. Detroit, the Motor City itself, has quite a few, such as Shinola Bikes and Wheelhouse Detroit.

This book was a great read for the beginning bicyclist, whether you are interested in biking as a exercise, as someone who wants to just bop around town, or the more serious enthusiast who want to do a bike tour. It covers just about anything you want to know, from which bike to choose to simple bike maintenance to how to bike commute to what you need to do to go on a biking trip. There were some other fun little sections too, such as different yoga poses for bicyclists, recipes for what to eat for fuel or what to take on a picnic, and even how to DIY to recycle and reuse old bike parts! That is another bonus: bikes are not only good for you, but for the environment!

My husband is a serious bike enthusiast, and while I do not share his passion, I do enjoy bicycling, although I do find it a wee bit scary! He also got me addicted to the Tour de France. He is also the perfect example of the best of all worlds of biking. He has a fancy Specialized bike, that he uses when he is in serious bike mode, with his bike kit and pannier, and then he has his bike that is from 1980 something, forgotten in a shed, beat to crap that he fixed up and then slapped a Brooks "saddle" (fancy bike term for bike seat) on, that he rides the most often. I have a bike that is similar, minus the Brooks saddle, although I have to admit, I kind of want one! Bikes can be expensive, customized, specialized, or they can be that bike you pick up at a garage sale - that is the best part of this hobby. You can tool around town, going to the library and the store, putting wine and bread in your basket, like me, and just have fun with the sun on your face and the wind on your back. Or you can take it as far as you want. That is the perfection of biking.

Whatever your pleasure or goal, this book can help you to get your feet off the ground and onto the pedals, with its easy, readable "how to" for every situation and type of biking.

The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What are You Reading?

The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

  

Check out the The Caffeinated Book Review for the Sunday Post! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date!

It's been a whirlwind of a week this week - fun but action-packed. Wyatt turned a big time two this week and somehow his birthday celebrations turned into a three day extravaganza! We visited the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit, which was a lot of fun; then on Saturday we had his birthday party, complete with cookies, milk, and of course, cake! On his actual birthday we took him to the library, since he shares a birthday with none other than Dr. Seuss. So we always take him for their Seussabrations. I plan on doing a few posts on our antics over on my other more personal blog. 

I did get some reading done, but not as much as I had planned. I also went to the library Monday and picked up so many books that I had book ADD, and hopped around between a bunch of books. I finally became immersed in one late last night and then passed out after ten minutes of reading. 

  

Read Last Week ~ and reading this week as well:

The Turn by Kim Harrison: So I picked this up from the library and once our schedule settled down, I was able to settle in. I love this look at Trent, the early years!

Reading this Week:

If I finish The Turn, I will be reading this one.

Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham: I am such a Gilmore Girls fanatic, that I was so excited to pick this book up! Now, if only I were able to read it as fast I could. Lol.

Watching:

Riverdale (my brother and his wife are now addicts as well), Big Little Lies, Top Chef, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries (time to clear up the DVR!), Bones, The Path

What about you? What have you all been up to?

The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

  

Check out the The Caffeinated Book Review for the Sunday Post! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date!

We had unseasonably beautiful weather all week, ending in a 70 degree day on Friday. We tried to take as much advantage of it as we could. By Saturday though, a cold wind had blown in again, bringing with it snow flurries - which is actually good! This is maple syrup season for Michigan, and the warm weather threatened this industry, as it the sap needs warm days and cold nights to flow. We actually went to a Maple Sugar event at our local Metro Park on Saturday, and I learned so much about the process. My cousin has also been having a monthly potluck with the family, and we did that Saturday night. It was fun hanging out, eating and having a drink or two. 

We also had book club this week - I loved seeing my friends. We had so much to say it seemed like, that time just flew!

Read Last Week:

  

A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery: I enjoyed this light read this week, and I loved the character Jen. Review soon.

Hello, Bicycle: The weather this week reminded me that I still needed to read and review this book! It was very informative and well-written, look for my review very soon!

Reading This Week:

I am thinking about this one this week ~ but I am going to the library tomorrow, so this may change..

Watching:

Riverdale, Top Chef, The Path, Supernatural, The Mick

How about you? What are you up to?

The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

  

Check out the The Caffeinated Book Review for the Sunday Post! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date!

I hope you all had a great week last week! Mine was pretty good. We got the best news ever on Tuesday - Wyatt's MRI came back with nothing to worry about! So we moved on with our Valentine's Day with much lighter and happier hearts. 

 

We delivered the Valentine's I made for Wyatt's cousins and besties, which was fun! I am not crafty or DIY, but I did my best! Lol. I also attached small bags of animal crackers to the Valentines for the kids to enjoy. 

It has been a while since our family had an "adventure" weekend, and this past Saturday we took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and went adventuring. We stumbled onto an alpaca farm, and also found a new place to hike! It was a good day. Billy and I wound up the evening with a fancy date night. 

Read Last Week:

The Final Vow: I love this little cozy series! Partially because I kind of would like to run and live on a working historical farm/museum, with a little house in a maple sugar tree grove.. 

Reading This Week:

A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery: It just looks so summery. I am ready for a little bit of summer, after our taste of spring this weekend.

Watching:

Riverdale, Top Chef, Bones, The Path. We are so addicted to Riverdale! What an awesome modernization of the comics classic. We are loving it, and visually, it is so stunning. The only problem is we have to wait a week between each episode! No binge watching unless we let them build up and I'm not sure we can do that. Lol.

The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

  

Check out the The Caffeinated Book Review for the Sunday Post! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date!

So that week is behind me - yay! I had been dreading it for weeks, knowing it was going to be really stressful and rough. Wyatt had an appointment with his new neurologist, who we love, and then also he had an MRI. That was really, really tough for all of us. Since he is just a little guy, they had to sedate him. The whole process was pretty emotional. When he was done though, they let us go sit with him until he woke up. They told us it normally takes kids about 45 mins to an hour to wake up. My kid, it was 15 minutes. Lol. He was up and drinking a glass of water and we were out the door before an hour was up. I guess he was ready to get out of there too! They also told us he would probably be sleepy and groggy for 24 hours. Yeah, that didn't happen either. So it went well despite the stress surrounding it. He's a tough kid! 

Tuesday is Valentine's Day, not normally a big holiday for us but this year I am putting a little effort in! I am excited to put some of my plans into action. Then Billy and I are going out to dinner Saturday at a Detroit restaurant we have wanted to go to for a while now. Yay for date night!

I did get some reading done, but not as much as normal. So, I am still reading my book from last week:

  

So far, so good. Perfect for the mood I've been in too.

I'm also rereading the book club book. I want to refresh my memory, so I am trying to just do a fast reread but find myself wandering down the pages. I had forgotten how much I had liked this book!

Watching:

Top Chef, How to Get Away with Murder, Alone, Veronica Mars, and The Path. We found The Path last week and were obsessed with it! We watched every episode available! It is so good. 

Posted:

Book Review: On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins

What about you all? How was your week?

Book Review: On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins

Title: On Second Thought
Author: Kristan Higgins
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Summary:

Ainsley O’Leary is so ready to get married—she’s even found the engagement ring her boyfriend has stashed away. What she doesn’t anticipate is being blindsided by a breakup he chronicles in a blog…which (of course) goes viral. Devastated and humiliated, Ainsley turns to her older half sister, Kate, who’s struggling with a sudden loss of her own.

Kate’s always been the poised, self-assured sister, but becoming a newlywed—and a widow—in the space of four months overwhelms her. Though the sisters were never close, she starts to confide in Ainsley, especially when she learns her late husband was keeping a secret from her.

Despite the murky blended-family dynamic that’s always separated them, Ainsley's and Kate’s heartaches bind their summer together when they come to terms with the inevitable imperfection of relationships and family—and the possibility of one day finding love again.

My thoughts:

I was so excited to receive this book from the publisher, as I loved her previous book If You Only Knew. This book is not really a sequel, although the characters are mentioned in passing, and know each other. I always love that.

This book was delightful, yet also very poignant. Sisters Ainsley and Kate were not particularly close, until life intervenes, and they begin to realize they need each other more than they knew. Ainsley's fiancee is real putz. She stood by him when he needed her, and then, he throws her away when he feels he no longer does - in a very public way. Kate is a newlywed, only four months married after a whirlwind romance, and is dealing with her grief on top of learning that her husband had been harboring a secret.

This book has its heavier themes - cancer, death, guilt, grief. How should people deal with these things that happen, these unexpected major blows, who do we turn to? We have all been knocked for a loop at least once in our lives;  what do we do? Kate and Ainsley turn to each other, overcoming a few other hurdles left from their past. I shed a few tears for these gals. But it's not all sadness. Ainsley is a delight, full of fun and sparkles and unexpectedness. I loved her positivity and upbeat nature. I also adored her boss Jonathan..and of course Daniel the Hot Firefighter.

This book was both complex, exploring deeper themes, yet tempered with good times and humor. Much like life. How many times have you smiled through tears? It's a book that believes that although things are bad now, there is always hope.

I can't wait to read Higgins' next book!

The Sunday Post/It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

  

Check out the The Caffeinated Book Review for the Sunday Post! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date!

Wow that week flew by! At this rate it will be spring before I know it. It will be nice to see color return to the world. Lol.

So, I think I totally goofed. I have a bunch of NetGalley approvals I don't think I can read! Maybe some of you can help with this ~ I have a Kindle but some of the books I have to read are just protected pdf files, and it does not seem like I can transfer them onto the Kindle? Is this correct? If that is the case, I can't read them. :( I can't sit at my computer and read, it would take me ten years to read a book like that, due to time constraints. Do any of you know, is that the only way to read it if I have a Kindle? Thanks! I keep trying to read different books and can't figure it out. Which is why I keep saying I am going to read all these books on my blog and then never do. Lol. 

I have a crazy week ahead of me this week, as my son has two major appointments. I am going to stick to fun and light and cheery, as honestly I probably won't be able to concentrate on anything anyway!

Read Last Week:

Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand - I skipped book two in this series by accident, but no matter. Lol. I caught up pretty easily. This was a fun read, especially this week, the coldest so far this winter!

Reading This Week:

  

The Final Vow by Amanda Flower: Last year I read the first two books in this series (Final Tap, Final Reveille)  and really enjoyed them. I am excited to start this one, and I think it will be perfect for this week. 

Posted Last Week:

Book Review: A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong

Easy-Peasy DIY Valentines Banner (on my other blog)

Watching:

Alone, Drop Dead Diva, The Mick, Fresh Off the Boat, Sherlock, Veronica Mars, How to Get Away With Murder (soo good!!). We have been watching more television lately it seems. We tried watching Emerald City and OA, and while my husband seems to like them, I am not a fan. Emerald City visually did not interest me, and OA was blah in my opinion. 

A few fun links:

My internet reading has been a bummer lately, but I have spotted these great links, making for a little more fun times.

Buy the house where Winnie-the-Pooh was written (who wants to go in on this with me! lol)

Veronica Mars: Here for the Mini-series but more books please!

The Final Beauty and the Beast Trailer

People Crocheting Octopi for Preemies

and finally this adorable photo of Flat Hat cat