Christen Bensten

be curious

Goodreads & Summer Reads

If you are not on Goodreads then I’d highly recommend it! It’s a site that keeps track of the books you read, lets you rate your books and keeps a list of books you’d like to read. You can also see what your friends are reading and what they think of their book choices too.

Goodreads connects to your Amazon account and your Kindle. There is also a reading challenge, which is really fun. You can decide how many books you want to read in a year and it will keep track. You can also challenge your fellow Goodreads friends to see who can read more within the year. You will find recommendations and Reader’s Choice Awards. I’m a fan!

I’ve read a several, light summer-reads recently. If you are in the mood for something like this, here’s my list.

The Unhoneymooners by by Christina Lauren

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

The Other Woman by by Sandie Jones

One Day in December by by Josie Silver

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Last Mrs. Parish by Liv Constantine
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
Happy Summer Reading.

 

 

 

Cold Brew Love

I became a black coffee drinker post babies because I didn’t want to add any sugar or dairy to my diet. After many years I still don’t feel deprived drinking black coffee in the morning and after lunch. Of course when I go to Starbucks for a “treat”, a black coffee iced or hot does not feel very exciting.

It wasn’t until this spring that I discovered the Cold Brew. You have probably seen it popping up everywhere including your grocery store, Whole Foods and of course, Starbucks. And guess what – it tastes better than plain black coffee! It is a treat! I’ve tried a few brands, but find that Starbucks makes the best. Plus, there is no sugar, no dairy and very few calories!

“Cold brew is a different beast entirely. While heat helps extract more caffeine, cold brew is typically brewed as a concentrate, with a higher than normal coffee-to-water ratio of between 1:4 and 1:8, compared with a more typical drip coffee ratio of 1:15 or 1:25.” – cnet

 

You can order a Cold Brew or you can buy the little bottles of Starbucks Cold Brew. I happen to love the bottles more. It is black and I choose the unsweetened even though they do sell a sweetened version.

 

I am a super fan of these 11 oz bottles and have most afternoons. They are 15 calories, 3g carb. I was the girl you would laugh at stacking her arms full of these from the fridge section in Starbucks until I found out I could order them online. Actually, Dear Husband ordered 2 boxes for me! Love that guy.