Today’s post is a catch all for a couple of different topics. First, I’ve challenged myself to improve my baking skills by taking on a cookbook that is above my skill set. I expect to have a lot of laughs and want to share this journey. I won’t go into it on this weekly post, but wanted to mention this once that I will be constantly reading Thomas Keller Bouchon Bakery. You can read my first post released yesterday and follow my progress weekly. The Reading Chick Bakes: Introduction

I have also been keeping up with my regular reading schedule which I’ll talk about below. I’ve really enjoyed the comments and books you’ve all shared. Thanks so much for your interactions! This post originated over on Book Date , so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion.

JUST FINISHED

First Sentence Read: “Some moments in life you remember forever.”

JUST STARTED

First Sentence Read: “October. A dark day in October.”

Well, neither of those first lines give away much of the plot for those books, do they? LOL. Ilona Andrews Innkeeper series is one of my favorites and Sweep With Me, a novella, only gives me a taste of what I’m longing for…another Innkeeper full length novel! Headliners is #5 in the London Celebrities series and I’ve been looking forward to this book since I binge read the others in the series. I’m a day behind on getting this book read and reviewed as it was released today. Yikes! Somehow my busy weekend has made me too tired to read this week! I do have the day off today so hopefully I’ll have time to enjoy what’s sure to be a fun romantic comedy.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

In the US, today is Martin Luther King Jr. day. A holiday that is celebrated, but by most who are not directly impacted culturally, is forgotten until it rolls around again the following year for another brief news cycle. My new job celebrates diversity and equality and has given us the day off to reflect. Most of the US will enjoy the additional day off from work (if they have one) without thinking about what this day means to the African American community, and should mean to society as a whole. I found the quotes below by Martin Luther King, Jr. speak to me as a person and in this moment, I hope they will speak to you as well. Truthfully, it was hard to choose, there were so many.

“Darkness can not drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

Martin Luther King Jr. January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968