Chase 'N Yur Face Book Review

Chase, of Chase 'N Yur Face fame, has put out a cookbook. "The Official Chase 'N Yur Face Cookbook" is an overall great book that is an inspiration for both the kitchen and life. This book was created by someone who, up until the age of eight, could only eat five foods due to food aversions. Chase was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. It is common for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to become overwhelmed by sounds, tastes, textures, and smells. This limited Chase's diet even though it wasn't the best for his health. 

However, everything changed when Chase discovered cooking shows with his grandfather. He was able to experience new foods without it negatively affecting his senses. From there he started to go to restaurants to try new foods with his mother. Now Chase creates his own recipes and explores the world of food on his YouTube channel.

If you have your own cooking show, the next step is to put your love of food into a book. This cookbook allows the community Chase brought together to join in on the fun. I think this book would be perfect for a young chef who wants to cook for family and friends. Children will enjoy making foods that everyone, of all ages, can enjoy. There are even gluten-free options. The recipes I am most excited about are: Pigs in a Waffle, Apricot Amazeballs, and the Cherry Cucumber Limeade.

Pigs in a Waffle

This is a very informative book that provides food facts that span time and cultures. Chase presents a well written book that allows you to learn while you cook. The visuals are great. There are beautiful pictures of food and cute illustrations. Chase said one goal for this book was to provide a way for him to connect with people. Communication and interpersonal relationships can be difficult for those on the spectrum. I believe he has succeeded. While reading the book you can really get a sense of who Chase is as a person.

Another goal Chase set for the book was to help others within the autism community. The Chase Yur Dreams Foundation is a non-profit that was started because he wanted to assist those who are affected by ASD. The objective is to provide the grants and resources/support someone with autism needs to live independently. A portion of the proceeds from the book goes to funding the foundation.

**I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Big Wedding Ideas & Little Book Review

I was suppose to review this book March of 2015. I was going to finally start my blog. A big part of it was going to be planning my wedding. The only problem, I was single for like four years at this time. No fiancé. No boyfriend. No Wedding. No nothing. 

You are probably wondering why was I planning a wedding then? It was a joke. One night, or morning, I was combating insomnia by looking for wedding dresses on Kleinfeld. Because who doesn't browse for something they don't need at 3 a.m. in the morning. Before I knew it I had opened an account, set a wedding date, and picked out my favorite dresses. All I needed was the groom. 

I spent a little time feeling foolish, but after awhile that passed. I realized that I already had a Pinterest board dedicated to all things weddings. Wedding planning was already something I was doing in passing whenever I scrolled through my Pinterest feed. I could admit it was an interest of mine. So I thought, why not make it a series on my blog. I was just starting out and I needed something to write about. I was already doing it for fun anyway. However, everything fell apart. I got cold feet when it came to starting my blog. Everything changed this year. I've been blogging since March of this year and I feel like I can finally commit this time. So, I made the decision to read the book. 

If I was going to actually plan a wedding this is the perfect starting point. I am not one of those women who has planned their nuptials down to the ribbons on the party favors. I need a little help trying to figure what direction I want to go in. This collection is everything you could want in a Pinterest board put into four tiny books. They are perfect for carrying around when shopping or meeting with vendors. There are plenty of pictures to use for reference when you are trying to get people to understand your vision. Aside from the great photography the books give you the information you need to start the planning process: how to choose vendors, money saving tips, and any deadlines. The books even equip you with the correct terms to use when picking out things like cakes and stationary.

I have received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. If you're a blogger you should check them out. They provide books from a wide range of interest.

Graphic Novels & Doujinshis

Supreme: Blue Rose by Warren Ellis and Tula Lotay
The watercolors bleed into each other, much like time in the story. I love the story. It did not take long for me to be drawn in. The story pulls you in and out of different worlds and you're never really sure what's real. I enjoyed how color was used to reflect the different settings and worlds. It was interesting to see both muted/pale shades and florescent neons combined. The drawing plays a serious part in the story telling. It reflected the characters, timeline, and mood. Even when the drawing got a little shaky it made sense for the story.

Let's Eat Ramen and Other Doujinshi Short Stories by Naguma, Aji-chi
"Let's Eat Ramen..." is a collect of four stories with young female protagonist. Every story was about relationships: romantic or friendship. Overall it was a quick and easy read with good illustrations. I would have loved to see it in color. Stories like "You Make Me Dizzy" were perfect as stand alone stories. Others left me wanting more, especially the title doujinshi. I really want to know what happened next: how Sake develops as a person and how she continues her ramen adventures. I want to see if her life opens up all because she finally conquered her fear. The two stand out doujinshis for me were "Urameshiya" and "Let's Eat Ramen". I want to see "Urameshiya" adapted as an anime.

ODY-C, Vol. 1: Off to Far Ithica by Matt Fraction and Christian Ward
It was kind of hard to get into it in the very beginning. It became more interesting as the story moved forward and the pace quickened. It's a mix between Greek mythology and sci-fi space travel, with mostly women. I really enjoyed the gender bending. Although it started off pretty slow, by the end I wanted to know what would happen next. The gods are more interesting than the main character. Odyssia gets all the action but the story seems to be more about the gods. The hero seems more like a puppet, a toy to be played with. I really didn't sympathize with her for that reason. Odyssia was a device to move the story forward versus being an actual person. Everyone around her is more interesting. The artwork is very lively, colorful and vibrant. Although, the the actual drawings are kind of chaotic. It was not so easy on the eyes. The text was a bit too small, making it hard to read. But, it may be due to the fact that I was reading an ARC.