Book Review - Love,Nina : A Nanny Writes Home by Nina Stibbe

In 1982 Nina took on a job as the Nanny to two little boys in Gloucester Crescent in London. 

Throughout her years as a Nanny she sent numerous letters to her sister Victoria detailing her highs and lows of her life

 Love, Nina is a collection of letters sent to Victoria and although we never get to see the letter replied to by Victoria we get an insight into their discussions through Nina's next letter to Victoria.

Nina immediately is part of Mary-Kate and her two sons family sharing their dinner room discussions, parking incidents in London and varied childish conversation with Sam and Will

Nina shares the good and the bad throughout the book and series of Letters, The book is separated into two part - Moving In and Moving On (don't worry I have not given away any of the story)

I loved the relay of conversations between Sam and Will, there were some classic lines and I found myself laughing imagining two little boys sitting at the breakfast bench chatting away. Nina was charming, funny and witty throughout the whole book

Love, Nina flowed really well and I could picture the family life Nina got to be part of but also they way Mary-Kate, Sam and Will's got to become part of Nina's Life.

Love, Nina: A Nanny Writes Home is released 22nd April 2014

Please note I received an advance copy of Love, Nina: A Nanny Writes Home to read and review from Little, Brown and Company

Happy Easter

   

Wishing you a Happy Easter 

I hope you have a fantastic day and enjoy all your Chocolates 

Easter Rocky Road

Because you will not have enough chocolate over the weekend here is a great little Easter Rocky Road 

Ingredients 

250 grams White Chocolate Melts

50 grams pouring cream

100 grams Crispy M&M Easter Eggs

50 Grams Snake Lollies

50 Grams mini marshmallows

5 x Caramel Solid Easter Eggs

Method

1, Line a Lamington Tin with Baking Paper ready for your Rocky Road Mixture

2. Melt White Chocolate Melts and Pouring Cream over a saucepan of water until smooth and consistent

3. Add Marshmallows, Crispy M&M Easter Eggs, Snake Lollies and Caramel Solid Easter Eggs to the mixture and stir until combined

4. Add to a tin and spoon out mixture evenly

5. Chill in the fridge for 4-5 Hours

6. Cut and Enjoy

Spiced Swordfish with Caramelised Lemon featuring Blue Seafood Blend Spices from Australian Bush Spices

Happy Good Friday!

Today I have a quick and simple seafood dish that can be ready in minutes and features the beautiful aroma of Australian Bush Spices

Blue Seafood Blend from Australian Bush Spices features the following spices

Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime, Mustard Seed, Pepper, Finger Lime, Lemon Myrtle, Ginger and Salt 

Ingredients

Boneless Swordfish Pieces

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

1 x Teaspoon of Blue Seafood Blend (per piece of Swordfish)

2 x Lemons

Method 

1. Preheat an griddle pan over medium heat 

2.  Place your lemon slices onto the griddle pan

3. Whilst your lemons are heating up lightly drizzle each piece of swordfish with extra virgin olive oil and rub 1 teaspoon of Blue Seafood Blend spices onto your swordfish.

4. Place the piece of Swordfish over the top of the lemons for 2 minutes

5. After two minutes turn your piece of swordfish to cook on the other side for another 2 minutes

6. Add two halves of the lemon on the griddle pan to caramelise for serving

7. Serve with a Simple Salad 

This recipe would also be perfect on the BBQ

Please note I received Australian Bush Spices Samples to create and share some recipes featuring Australian Bush Spices

Book Blast - Sticks N' Stones and the Garden of Phea by Angela Burkhead

About the Book

Title: Sticks n' Stones and the Garden of Phea 

Author: Angela Burkhead 

Publication Date: February 6, 2014 

Publisher: Maple Hill Publishing 

Pages: 152 

Recommended Ages: 9+ 

Summary: Rather than spending one more day amongst the humiliating remarks to the amusement of her fellow peers, Emily Fickeltin runs away. Or, rather, walks away. Emily is misunderstood and disliked but what seems to be every other child her age and on top of it all, she is overweight. Perfectly pleasantly plump, her mother calls her, but Emily feels far from perfect. Her attempt to escape her pain leads her to discover a hidden place with new hope for friends and acceptance. Stumbling into Phea's garden, an eccentric woman skilled in the arts of gardening and imagination, Emily finds she is not alone in her troubles. Phea and her friend rabbit have a past of their own they wish to run from and together the three battle their innermost demons as their world crumbles around them. Will they ever discover peace and acceptance? These lost and disheartened souls must find who they are before they are all lost forever.

Purchase

Amazon

 

About the Author: Angela Burkhead

 

  Angela Burkhead is a full time writer and a full time mom. Of the two jobs, she cannot decide which is more difficult and time consuming, but both bring the joys of fulfillment and accomplishment. She and her son currently reside in Richmond, Ky, just north of Kentucky's arts and crafts capital, Berea, Ky, where she was born and raised. Her newest book, Sticks n' Stones and the Garden of Phea, an upper middle grade/young adult fantasy novel, was published February of 2014.

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* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

   

  Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: May 13, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, David Chuka and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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