National Geographic’s ‘The Splendor of Birds’ Is Simply Breathtaking [REVIEW]

Blue-Footed Booby
The blue-footed booby is only one of the many birds featured in National Geographic’s The Splendor of Birds. (Photo courtesy National Geographic)

Birds. There is something truly special about these creatures that captures the imaginations of all of us. Whether we’re feeding ducks at a park or hummingbirds nectar outside our window, watching predatory hawks soar high in the sky or an ominous flock of grackles loom overhead on power lines like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock film, or laughing at the antics of waddling penguins and precariously poised flamingoes, these winged animals are everywhere and yet each is stunning in its own way. Over the years, National Geographic has shared our fascination with them, and now they are revealing all their hard-won wisdom and stellar photographs and artistry in one incomparable volume, The Splendor of Birds: Art and Photographs from National Geographic.  Continue reading “National Geographic’s ‘The Splendor of Birds’ Is Simply Breathtaking [REVIEW]”

‘The Spite Game’ [EXCERPT]

Legs
After years of bullying, a young woman has a taste for revenge in Anna Snoekstra’s The Spite Game. (Photo by Spyros Papaspyropoulos, Flickr)

We all love a good revenge story. Just think of Stephen King’s Carrie or films like the ever popular Mean Girls. But Australian author Anna Snoekstra is turning the classic premise on its ear in her new novel, The Spite Game. Take a sneak peek inside the story in our exclusive excerpt. Enjoy! —Jathan & Heather Continue reading “‘The Spite Game’ [EXCERPT]”

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Verde [RECIPE]

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Verde
Filled with loads of chicken and beans, this big pot of Chicken Chili Verde is a great way to put your slow cooker to work. (Photo by Jathan Fink, Jadeworks Entertainment)

Like most of you, we lead busy lives. That’s why we love throwing dinner in the slow cooker before we head out the door in the morning, only to come back at night and everything is ready to eat. Although not all slow cooker recipes are created equal, this one is delish, and more than a tad spicy, especially if you use our homemade salsa verde to prepare it. To tame the heat, make sure you add in sour cream. Just in time for game day, we hope you enjoy it! Continue reading “Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Verde [RECIPE]”

♦ Lou Berney’s ‘November Road’ Never Fails to Entertain [REVIEW]

1963 Chrysler
Two people on the run discover unexpected possibilities in Lou Berney’s November Road. (Photo by Thomas Hawk, Flickr)

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He wants sanctuary. She wants freedom. When a gangster meets a housewife in Lou Berney’s new novel, November Road, two disparate people are thrown together in a cross-country road trip in the pursuit of something more.
Continue reading “♦ Lou Berney’s ‘November Road’ Never Fails to Entertain [REVIEW]”

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup [RECIPE]

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Want a hot meal to warm you up on a cold day? Try our yummy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup! Best part of all, you don’t even have to slave over a hot stove to make it! (Photo by Jathan Fink, Jadeworks Entertainment)

We’ve always had a penchant for chicken tortilla soup. Whenever we go out to eat at a Mexican restaurant, that’s the only thing Heather orders. She just loves the spicy goodness and filling warmth that a bowl of it provides. But now that we’ve made this recipe, neither of us will be ordering it out anymore. As far as we’re concerned, this version wins hands down. Best of all, it is simple to throw together in a 6-quart slow cooker and is ready by the time you get home from work. Can’t much better than that! Continue reading “Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup [RECIPE]”