Music Meme (Day 12) - A Song From a Band I Hate

I don't know about you but I don't listen to bands I "don't care for." I hate the word hate.  Too strong. Especially for something like music. There are definitely bands whose music I don't want to hear, nevertheless listen to. My husband and daughter have, since Christmas, been playing Rock Band. First, it was The Beatles. Okay, I like The Beatles. Next it was Rock Band. Just a few days ago Rock Band 2 arrived. My husband always plays bass guitar. My daughter plays guitar, drums, and sings. She's excellent at all three! I love knowing she has Rock Band talent, but ooh, some of the songs just make me cringe! When it's Rock Band time at our home I take off for my study and close the door! More often than not I launch iTunes and listen to my music. So there!

Most of the Rock Band songs I've heard that set my teeth on edge are heavy metal. I'm definitely not a "head banger." After listening to samples of several of the metal songs on RB2 I chose the most "cringe worthy" as  Colony of Birchmen by Mastodon. 

It's nothing personal. To each their own, as far as music is concerned. I'm fine with people liking heavy metal, as long as they don't "share" it with me!

Music Meme (Day 11) - A Song From My Favorite Band

The thing about favorites is they can change along with our mood, tastes, and exposure to new things. I'd say that for the last two years my favorite band has been OneRepublic. There is something about their sound that always grabs me. Every time I hear a hint of a OneRepublic song I say something like, "Ooh, it's OneRepublic" and I turn up the volume. The lead singer, Ryan Tedder, is writer or co-writer of just about all of their material. In fact, he's written some amazing songs for other artists. For example: Beyonce's "Halo" and Leona Lewis's "Bleeding Love." He's written a number of songs for Kelly Clarkson, a favorite female vocalist of mine. He plays numerous instruments: guitar, bass guitar, piano, tambourine, glockenspiel, and drums. One of the things I love about their sound is the use of cello. It makes their sound even more singular. I could go on about the band. Can you tell I really like them? 

I chose a song from their first album, Dreaming Out Loud, released in November 2007. They recorded this song and later remastered it featuring Sara Bareilles. It was written as a tribute to American soldiers by Ryan Tedder, who had a friend serving overseas. This beautiful song is called Come Home <-------listen to it on MySpace Music.

 

Lyrics to Come Home written by Ryan Tedder

[Verse 1]
Hello world
Hope you're listenin'
Forgive me if I'm young
For speaking out of turn
There's someone I've been missing
And I think that they could be
The better half of me
They're in the wrong place trying to make it right
But I'm tired of justifying
So I say to you

[Chorus]
Come home
Come home
Cause I've been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I've ever known
So come home
Oooh

[Verse 2]
I get lost in the beauty
Of everything I see
The world ain't half as bad
As they paint it to be
For all the sons
All the daughters
Stopped to take it in
Well then hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin
It might start now... Yeah
Well maybe I'm just dreaming out loud
Until then

[Chorus]
Come home
Come home
Cause I've been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I've ever known
Ever known
So come home
Oooh

[Interlude]
Everything I can't be
Is everything you should be
And that's why I need you here
Everything I can't be
Is everything you should be
And that's why I need you here
So hear this now

[Chorus]
Come home
Come home
Cause I've been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I've ever known
Ever known
So come home
Come home

Music Meme (Day 10) - A Song That Makes Me Fall Asleep

I'm going to be particular and change the the topic from a song that makes me fall asleep to an album that I can fall asleep to. In reality I can fall asleep listening to any of my music as long as I'm listening through my comfy ear buds. I won't even attempt to fall asleep with music playing through speakers. *cringes* 

This artist is known for his smooth vocals and technical expertise on the guitar. He's one of my "Easy Listening" favorites. This master of jazz and R & B is George Benson and the album is The Best of George Benson.

His most popular song is still Give Me the Night. <------ Watch and listen.  It is GOOD! 

Music Meme (Day 9) - A Song I Can Dance To

Let me start off by saying I haven't danced in ages. Oh, I tap my fingers & toes and shake my head a lot, but I don't dance. Once upon a time I did dance about the house accompanied by my doggies. Those were good times! I was happy. My dogs were happy. Life was good. (I was physically able to dance!) In trying to recall what one song I most liked to dance to one did come to mind. It's been a favorite of mine for a very long time. It was written by Randy Newman and soulfully performed by Mr. Joe Cocker. 

This is my favorite live album of all time. It had been even before I got to see him perform live in San Diego in the early '90s. Wow, what a great show that was!  I even danced in the aisle!

Music Meme (Day 8) - A Song That I Know All the Words To

The word "all" makes me want to choose Rock and Roll Part II by Gary Glitter. It's known as "The Hey Song" for a reason. You got it, "Hey" is the only word in the entire song. Hey, I'm not really going to choose that song though. ;>) That would be a complete cop out.  Okay, let's see. Let me think...I'm fairly confident that I know MOST of the lyrics to many songs, but do I know all of them to any?  Hmmm. Definitely can't choose Bennie and the Jets.  No one knows the lyrics to that one. Maybe not even Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin themselves. GREAT song though, isn't it? 

I do believe that it is time to select the song I hear every time I receive a call on my BlackBerry. I first heard it on the Twilight Soundtrack in March 2009. However, it was the first single released on the album, Black Holes and Revelations, by the English Alternative band, Muse, in 2006. Each time I hear it I visualize the Vampire Baseball Scene in Twilight, which is probably the coolest part of the movie. Here is a live performance at Wembley Stadium in 2007 of Supermassive Black Hole. (The studio version has a far superior sound, of course.)

Oh baby don't you know I suffer?
Oh baby can't you hear me moan?
You caught me under false pretenses
How long before you let me go?

Oooh...You set my soul alight
Oooh...You set my soul alight

(oooh...You set my soul alight)
Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

(oooh...You set my soul alight)
Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

I thought I was a fool for no-one
Oh baby I'm a fool for you
You're the queen of the superficial
And how long before you tell the truth

Oooh...You set my soul alight
Oooh...You set my soul alight

(oooh...You set my soul alight)
Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

(oooh...You set my soul alight)
Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive
(sucked into the supermassive)

Supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole

Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

(oooh...You set my soul alight)
Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

(oooh...You set my soul)
Glaciers melting in the dead of night
And the superstars sucked into the supermassive

Supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole

Music Meme (Day 7) - A Song That Reminds Me of a Certain Event

I'm certain you can guess the event from the song title. (That's all I'm sayin' about that!) I give you, Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright), by Rod Stewart from the album, A Night on the Town. 

Book Review: Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs

Title: Spider Bones
Series: Temperance Brennan #13
Author: Kathy Reichs
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Published: 08/24/2010
Publisher: Scribner
Genre(s): Contemporary Mystery, Forensic Thriller

DESCRIPTION

Kathy Reichs—#1 New York Times bestselling author and producer of the FOX television hit Bones—returns with the thirteenth riveting novel featuring forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan.

John Lowery was declared dead in 1968—the victim of a Huey crash in Vietnam, his body buried long ago in North Carolina. Four decades later, Temperance Brennan is called to the scene of a drowning in Hemmingford, Quebec. The victim appears to have died while in the midst of a bizarre sexual practice. The corpse is later identified as John Lowery. But how could Lowery have died twice, and how did an American soldier end up in Canada?

Tempe sets off for the answer, exhuming Lowery’s grave in North Carolina and taking the remains to Hawaii for reanalysis—to the headquarters of JPAC, the U.S. military’s Joint POW/ MIA Accounting Command, which strives to recover Americans who have died in past conflicts. In Hawaii, Tempe is joined by her colleague and ex-lover Detective Andrew Ryan (how “ex” is he?) and by her daughter, who is recovering from her own tragic loss. Soon another set of remains is located, with Lowery’s dog tags tangled among them. Three bodies—all identified as Lowery.

And then Tempe is contacted by Hadley Perry, Honolulu’s flamboyant medical examiner, who needs help identifying the remains of an adolescent boy found offshore. Was he the victim of a shark attack? Or something much more sinister?

A complex and riveting tale of deceit and murder unfolds in this, the thirteenth thrilling novel in Reichs’s “cleverly plotted and expertly maintained series” (The New York Times Book Review). With the smash hit Bones now in its fifth season and in full syndication—and her most recent novel, 206 Bones, an instant New York Times bestseller—Kathy Reichs is at the top of her game.

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MY THOUGHTS (Short and Sweet)

I confess my head was spinning with all of the acronyms being tossed about, but I very much enjoy Kathy Reichs' unvoiced thoughts (comments, gripes, etc.), use of actual brand names (like regular people do), and knowledge of popular culture. She's an anthropologist, but she is hip! My family was from Hawaii and I enjoyed reading about familiar locations. I was also fascinated by how the cases intertwined and how things wrapped up.

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Music Meme (Day 6) - A Song That Reminds Me of a Place

I've been thinking about this one for a few days. One song, one place seemed to edge out the others. For several years every time I listened to the artist I would get a little melancholy.  There were things I loved about Portland, Oregon, but sometimes the damp, gray days kinda got to me. I was out of place there. I was still working for the same company, but the northwest region was vastly different from the southwest. I was newly single and trying to be positive, confident, and brave. Not a settled period in my life. Music seemed to affect my mood more in Portland than anywhere else I've lived. The music I bought and first listened to there is still heavily associated with the area. Even now, almost 14 years after leaving there I flash back to driving the wet roads under the gray skies to a job that wore me out. I don't hold it against the artist whose song reminds me of those gray days. She remains a favorite of mine to this day. She's beautiful and talented and soulful. She is Amanda Marshall and the song is Let It Rain (<---- video). 

* the video quality isn't really great, but I hope you can get a feeling for her amazing talent.

Music Meme (Day 5) - A Song That Reminds Me of Someone

I wrote about my friend, Beth, on the music tab of this website. She probably influenced my musical choices more than anyone else in my life. There are a number of artists, when I hear them, I immediately think BETH - AC/DC, The Eagles, Eddie Money, Foreigner, George Benson, and Little River Band. After all these years I don't have a vivid memory of her and any ONE song, but for some reason when I hear Reminiscing by Little River Band I immediately think of my friend, B! 

For a bonus, how could I not think of the KISS song, Beth?  It remains their highest charting single.

Music Meme (Day 4) - A Song That Makes Me Sad

For my "sad song" I didn't need to search for a list or delve into the dark recesses of my mind to find a song that makes me sad. No, fresh in my memory is a familiar song heard on a video I watched just two days ago on Oprah. The video was beautifully done by a husband for his wife's birthday.  He is fighting cancer. Between the video segment on Oprah introducing this family's struggles and watching the video he made for his wife...I was crying my eyes out.  The song, Marry Me, happens to be by Train, who also performs my "happy song" from yesterday. Both songs are from their album, Save Me, San Francisco, which I've had since it was released in October 2009. It is a touching song, but certainly for awhile, at least, I will associate it with Kristian and Rachel and their fight to remain together. Guh! I'm crying now just thinking about it. 

* I found Kristian's blog while searching for the video. It is embedded on this entry: Days that matter.

Book Review: The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Title: The Distant Hours
Series: Standalone
Author: Kate Morton
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Published: 11/09/2010
Publisher: Atria
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery

DESCRIPTION

The #1 internationally bestselling author of The Forgotten Garden mesmerizes readers with this haunting tale of long-buried secrets and the twists of fate that can alter lives forever.

It starts with a letter, lost for half a century and unexpectedly delivered to Edie’s mother on a Sunday afternoon. The letter leads Edie to Milderhurst Castle, where the eccentric Blythe spinsters live and where, she discovers, her mother was billeted during World War II. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives caring for their younger sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiancé jilted her in 1941. Inside the decaying castle, Edie searches for her mother’s past but soon learns there are other secrets hidden in its walls. The truth of what happened in “the distant hours” has been waiting a long time for someone to find it. In this enthralling romantic thriller, Morton pays homage to the classics of gothic fiction, spinning a rich and intricate web of mystery, suspense, and lost love.

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MY THOUGHTS

After reading a favorable review and the intriguing synopsis I eagerly anticipated reading The Distant Hours.

An old family mystery, an ancient castle, a lost letter, the story behind the story—The True History of the Mud Man. Edie, a young woman working in the publishing field, learns that her "dull" mother has a history that she knows nothing of. (Her mother was a 13-year old evacuee taken in at Milderhurst Castle, the home of the author of her favorite childhood book.) The Distant Hours parallels Edie's search for answers in the present (1992) with the lives of Persephone, Seraphina, and Juniper Blythe during the years 1939 - '41. Edie uncovers some of the answers she seeks. She also finds that some things are best left unwritten. Like the true story behind the book that made her a reader.

I found the story highly compelling overall but was mildly distracted by the minutiae of the Blythe Sister's younger years. I'm intrigued by Kate Morton's work in this novel enough to look into her other books: The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden.

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Music Meme (Day 3) - A Song That Makes Me Happy

On day one of this meme: My Favorite Song--I said whenever I heard either of the songs I chose (it was a tie) I couldn't help groovin' to them. That's a fact, they do get me goin'.  However, there is one song I have (and most everyone has heard) that is so perky, happy, upbeat, and adorable that it has to be the one song that makes me happiest. Come on, admit it, you like it too. As much as I love rock and alternative, I still like good pop songs and this one is a true pop song. I give you...

...Hey, Soul Sister (<------- video) by Train.

Music Meme (Day 2) - My Least Favorite Song

Does anybody really have a least favorite song?  I'd really like to know if there is one song that meets this distinction for you. There are definitely songs (I'll be sticking with my genres of rock and pop here) that I don't ever want to hear again. There are songs that should never have been recorded. What one song is my least favorite? I have no idea. 

If I rate a song 1 or 2 stars it is out of my iTunes Player pronto. I keep the file, but I don't want to waste my ears on it. I haven't changed my mind on a song yet. 

So, I've decided to pick my least favorite song by my long-time favorite artist Bruce Springsteen. I consider Bruce to be my rock hero. Not my folk rock hero. Not my folk ballad hero. Of the songs that I have (well over 100) I currently have 90 in my iTunes Player. There are several from his Live 1975-85 3-Disc Set that I don't really care for. If I have to pick one...

I'll choose The River. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the song. He is an amazing performer and has been for decades. It's just what comes to mind. I hate writing anything negative about Himself, but there you are. 

I still love you, Bruce!

Music Meme (Day 1) - My Favorite Song

I'm going to start out day one with a tie. That's right a tie. At this moment in time I love two songs equally. They are quite different, but I find when either of them is playing I can't help but groove to them! 

The first song is Everybody Loves Me (music video with incorrect lyrics) from the album Waking Up by OneRepublic. Finding lyrics to their songs isn't easy and each site's lyrics are different. This page has a comment claiming the correct lyrics from Guitar Hero 5. I chose those for the song's lyrics tab in iTunes. I wish the artists had the lyrics on their own websites! 

 

The second song is Light of the Morning (music video) from the album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey by Band of Skulls. I bought the album in December '09 and am crazy for several of the songs. Then, I believe it was last summer I heard it on the Ford Mustang television commercial. I fell in love with it all over again! Hot song. Hot car. *swoons* 

Music Meme 30 Day Challenge

My friend, Paula, posted a music meme on Facebook yesterday and prompted me to give it a try. I confess right up front; I have great difficulty choosing a favorite for most things. Some of the categories just didn't fit me so I customized them a little. The challenge: write one entry per day.

Come on, crank up your music and give it a go!

Day 01 – Your favorite song
Day 02 – Your least favorite song
Day 03 – A song that makes you happy
Day 04 – A song that makes you sad
Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone
Day 06 – A song that reminds of you of somewhere
Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to
Day 09 – A song that you can dance to
Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11 – A song from your favorite band
Day 12 – A song from a band you hate
Day 13 – A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14 – A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15 – A song that describes you
Day 16 – A song that you used to love but now hate [A song you used to be crazy about and now, not so much]
Day 17 – A song that you hear often on the radio [The song you've listened to the most]
Day 18 – A song that you wish you heard on the radio [A more recent song you like to hear often]
Day 19 – A song from your favorite album
Day 20 – A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 – A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 – A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 – A song that you want to play at your wedding [The song I would have wanted played at my wedding]
Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh
Day 26 – A song that you can play on an instrument [A song you'd like your daughter to play]
Day 27 – A song that you wish you could play
Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty [A song that reminds you of something unpleasant]
Day 29 – A song from your childhood
Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year

Related Link

• The Music I Listen To

Book Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Series: Standalone
Author: Oscar Wilde
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Published: 10/01/1994 (originally published in 1890)
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Genre(s): British Literature, Literary Fiction

DESCRIPTION

The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine. Wilde later revised this edition, making several alterations, and adding new chapters; the amended version was published by Ward, Lock, and Company in April 1891. The title is sometimes rendered incorrectly as The Portrait of Dorian Gray.

The novel tells of a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a painting by artist Basil Hallward. Basil is impressed by Dorian's beauty and becomes infatuated with him, believing his beauty is responsible for a new mode in his art. Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil's, and becomes enthralled by Lord Henry's world view. Espousing a new hedonism, Lord Henry suggests the only things worth pursuing in life are beauty and fulfillment of the senses. Realizing that one day his beauty will fade, Dorian (whimsically) expresses a desire to sell his soul to ensure the portrait Basil has painted would age rather than himself. Dorian's wish is fulfilled, plunging him into debauched acts. The portrait serves as a reminder of the effect each act has upon his soul, with each sin displayed as a disfigurement of his form, or through a sign of aging.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is considered a work of classic Gothic horror fiction with a strong Faustian theme.

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MY THOUGHTS

*minor spoilers contained herein*

I found it extremely difficult to rate The Picture of Dorian Gray, probably the most difficulty I've had with any other book. It was too fine a work to claim I "didn't like it." Too bold to claim it "okay." I settled on "liked it" by default. I found the characters flippant, the "friendships" damning and the confessions of love frivolous. This book is a character study of human shallowness (as was likely the author's intent.) Although perfect in his youthful beauty Dorian Gray was flawed horribly and too easily influenced. So much so his entire demeanor is horribly changed by his association with Lord Henry Wotton and Basil Hallward. Dorian claims Lord Henry's constant epigrams (for example: Because you have the most marvellous youth, and youth is the one thing worth having.) "cut life to pieces", and that a book Henry gave him "poisoned him." Yet, he called him friend. The painter, Basil, felt so inspired by Dorian that he claimed the picture of him to be his finest work. The picture of youth for which Dorian sold his soul.

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Book Review: Northern Lights by Nora Roberts

Title: Northern Lights
Series: Standalone
Author: Nora Roberts
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Published: 10/12/2004
Publisher: Jove
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense

DESCRIPTION

The town of Lunacy, Alaska, was Nate Burke's last chance. As a Baltimore cop, he'd watched his partner die on the street - and the guilt still haunts him. With nowhere else to go, he accepts the job as chief of police in this tiny, remote Alaskan town. Aside from sorting out a run-in between a couple of motor vehicles and a moose, he finds his first few weeks on the job are relatively quiet. But just as he wonders whether this has been all a big mistake, an unexpected kiss on New Year's Eve under the brilliant Northern Lights of the Alaskan sky lifts his spirits and convinces him to stay just a little longer.

Meg Galloway, born and raised in Lunacy, is used to being alone. She was a young girl when her father disappeared, and she has learned to be independent, flying her small plane, living on the outskirts of town with just her huskies for company. After her New Year's kiss with the chief of police, she allows herself to give in to passion - while remaining determined to keep things as simple as possible. But there's something about Nate's sad eyes that gets under her skin and warms her frozen heart.

And now, things in Lunacy are heating up. Years ago, on one of the majestic mountains shadowing the town, a crime occurred that is unsolved to this day - and Nate suspects that a killer still walks the snowy streets. His investigation will unearth the secrets and suspicions that lurk beneath the placid surface, as well as bring out the big-city survival instincts that made him a cop in the first place. And his discovery will threaten the new life - and the new love - that he has finally found for himself.

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MY THOUGHTS (SHORT AND SWEET)

This was one of Nora's books worthy of another visit (I read it as a new release in October 2004). Introductions were made. The scenes set up. The chemistry obvious. She didn't spend too long on any one aspect of the story. It got interesting really quickly and moved along at a quick pace. As always, her hero and heroine were impressive. Her brief but plentiful descriptions of the majesty of Alaska help set the stage for a first rate story!

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Book Review: The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes by Kris Holechek

Title: The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes 

Author: Kris Holechek

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Published: 09/08/2009

Publisher: Ulysses Press

Genre(s): Recipe Book

 

DESCRIPTION

 

YOUR FAVORITE BAKED GOODS—AS DELICIOUS AS EVER.

Packed with cruelty-free cookies, cakes and pastries rich in flavor, The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes provides everything novice bakers and seasoned chefs need to go vegan with an indulgent flair, including:

•Easy-to-make recipes
•Classic baking tips and tricks
•Creamy frostings, icings and toppings
•Simple substitutions for eggs and dairy

The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes features mouthwatering takes on traditional treats as well as the author’s own delectable creations:

•Boston Cream Pie
•The Ultimate Brownies
•Mixed Berry Pie
•French Toast Muffins
•Baked Chocolate-Glazed Donuts
•Pain Au Chocolat
•Baklava Bread
•Strawberry Lemonade Cheese Pie
•Sweet Cream Apple Streudel
•Black Forest Cake
•Herbed Pizza Dough
•Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies 

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MY THOUGHTS

In the first year, after receiving this book as a gift, I've made 20 of the 100 recipes. The results of those recipes have all been amazing! Ms. Holechek offers some invaluable information, tips, and suggestions. I also like her difficulty rating system for each recipe. I've found the book's scale of 1 to 4 whisks extremely helpful when allotting time to prepare a recipe. Her instructions are easy to follow and the results are delectable!

If you're dealing with certain allergies, as I am, this book can be great. If you need dairy or egg free, this is a great book to start with. Someone have a peanut allergy? I substitute soynut butter for the peanut butter in the recipes with tasty results.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who likes to bake with positive results—vegan or not.

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