Tuesday, January 9, 2024
I'm Feeling Pretty On Top of Things for Now. Book Club Book is Read- The Second Chance Year
Monday, March 27, 2023
The Cozy Mystery Club March Edition --Tomorrow Night on You Tube!
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher
This book was our book club pick for a fairytale retelling. It's a stand-alone fantasy book that is much shorter than fantasy books tend to be. T. Kingfisher does an excellent job of writing concisely and giving the reader a rich world to discover. I listened to the audio version of the book and found it to be easy to listen to and follow.
The story has a satisfying resolution, and also one could see how the story could continue if T.Kingfisher had an interest in writing a second book about these characters.
Key elements of this book that I enjoyed:
The main character Marra, as well as potential love interest, Fenris both feel like they are destined to live a life with more suffering than happiness.
We have a character who is capable of powerfully evil magic, but they choose not to use that evil.
Some very creepy scenes involve something known as a tooth dancer and a landlady that has a childhood toy. Both characters and the parts they play are so creative and truly the stuff of nightmares. T. Kingfisher builds a fascinating world of a book that is an homage to the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
4.5 stars
Sunday, August 14, 2022
The Once and Future Witches
I listened to the audio version of this book and it did take me a little while to get into the book, it has three POV characters so just a little time to get straight which sister was which, but once it got rolling. I loved it. I thought there were so many lines in it at were lyrical or a unique metaphor that I'm planning to buy the book so that I can see the words.
The idea that women are actually witches and that the powers that be want to keep women stripped of the witchcraft so that they were subservient to the male patriarchy, well as the kids say, it just hit different post-Roe than it might have hit before. The book felt like thinly veiled nonfiction.
Sunday, February 20, 2022
Paper Girls Volume One - A Book Club Selection
Sunday, January 30, 2022
Buy Yourself The F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who's Been There
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
The Hallmark Channel Itself Could Not Out Do This Book For Perfect Autumn Romance Ambiance!
The Ex-Hex By Erin Sterling is like a perfectly made Pumpkin Spice Latte in Book Form. This book feels like it was blessed by the Good Witch Cassie Nightingale herself.
I can't imagine anyone who enjoys Autumn or tales of sorcery who would not enjoy this book. It really puts you in the spirit of the Spooky season. As I was listening to this book and really enjoying the story unfold, I realized that when it comes to romance, I enjoy the romance more if there is an obstacle that the couple has to unite to overcome. On that front, like most paranormal romances this book delivers.
We may be too old for trick or treating, but we can still treat ourselves to Halloween treats right? This book is better than any fun-sized Snickers bar by far!Tuesday, July 20, 2021
The Subtitle of This Book Could Have Been Men Who Suck and Women Who Deal With Them
Sunday, May 23, 2021
Cozy Mystery Book Club Meets Tomorrow! Join Us on YouTube!
Happy Monday, is this work week ending in a three-day weekend for you? If you ask me everyone should have a three-day weekend every week. Let's make 4 days works weeks a thing! I'm kicking off this week with a review of the Cozy Mystery Book Club's book of the month. This month we chose from a selection of bookish cozies and the winner was Maggie Blackburn's (aka Mollie Cox Bryan) book Little Bookshop of Murder.
I liked this book more than I thought I would at first blush. I thought that the author does a good job of showing Summer's grieving process. The murder victim in this book is Summer's mom who we do not get to meet, we only learn of her via other people's memories. The killer in this book is pretty easy to figure out, so if being wholly surprised by who did it is important to you, then you might be disappointed.
Maggie Blackburn takes a big risk in this book by making the protagonist a scholar who has no use for popular fiction, especially romance and mystery which she thinks is complete dreck. Readers might be put off by Summer's disdain for the very books they love to read. However, Summer's life in academia isn't all it is cracked up to be, and the bookstore she inherited isn't the terrible navel-gazing place she made it out to be in her youth. I enjoyed Summer slowly having to eat her words and realize that romance and mystery books are quality reads.
Some readers prefer cozy mysteries that don't have a romance component. While this book talks about romance novels, there is not a romance plot in this book. If you love a unique cozy companion, this book features a bird named Mr. Darcy!
You can join us for the Book Club Live Stream tomorrow May 25th at 7pm EST! I'll be in the comments sharing my two cents!
Sunday, April 25, 2021
#CozyMysteryBookClub I'm Going To Be On The Live Stream!
A bit of a bucket list item, though, I'm not keen on the whole bucket list item, so I'm going to say that getting to be a co-host on the Cozy Mystery Book Club live stream tomorrow is the fulfillment of a New Years Resolution/Goal :-) That's much better right?
Join us! We will be talking about Color Me Murder by Krista Davis. It is the first novel in the Pen & Ink Mystery series and the added bonus is that if you buy the book you can color the cover. Our amateur sleuth Florrie Fox draws coloring books, with a concentration on coloring books for adults and she is the manager of the Color Me Read bookstore in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C.
This area is also where Krista Davis's Diva series takes place and in both series, the descriptions make me want to book an AirBnB and stay in a historical home in Georgetown. For now, I'll live vicariously through these books. I borrowed my book from the local library, so no cover coloring for me.
The book takes some interesting twists and turns, but my favorite part of the book might just be the three recipes in the back of the book. There is a recipe for Raspberry Quick Bread with Vanilla Glaze that seems pretty simple to make and I am sure delicious to eat. I just need 2 pints of fresh raspberries! You can find the recipe in the back of the book if you purchase or borrow it, and it is also available at the great website Mystery Lovers' Kitchen the website is run by a collective of cozy mystery authors who post recipes from their books. A great resource for foodies who love cozies!
Thursday, April 22, 2021
My Introduction to Alexis Hall writer of Boyfriend Material
This is my first book by writer Alexis Hall. Alexis Hall has written a bunch of books including a paranormal investigator series that I think I will check out sometime later this year. Boyfriend Material is the first book in a new romance series. This was picked as our book club read for April and I was excited to get to read it.
Well, as I tend to do for this book club, I didn't 'read' it, I listened to the audio. For this book that was a good choice as the reader, Joe Jameson, has the most delightful accent - I assume it's a London accent. Is that a thing? In any case, he really helps make the book that much more enjoyable.
Luc is so hard on himself and right from the beginning you just want good things for him. Unlike most of the Romance books, I've read lately this one is not told from both Luc and Oliver's point of view. This one is only from Luc's POV and I did enjoy that change.
One (fake) boyfriend
Practically perfect in every way
Sunday, March 28, 2021
The March Cozy Mystery Book Club Book! Who's Joining Us For the Live Stream Tomorrow?
This month the Cozy Mystery Book Club is reading the first book in Alexia Gordon's award-winning Gethsemane Brown Mysteries series! I have been waiting to read this book with the Club for a while now I am glad that the time finally arrived! Not only did I enjoy the writing, I also enjoyed the distinctive signature look of the covers in this series.
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Who Has Times for Affairs and Politics? Apparently The Women of the Regency! Me on the Other Hand, I like to Cook!
Lastly, as always I have some referral emails for a few Blue Apron meals, if you've not tried Blue Apron and would like to try for free, just let me know your email and I'll send you a link for a free box!
Saturday, February 20, 2021
One Month from Now = Spring! #TheSundayPost
Thursday, January 21, 2021
The Midnight Library Book Review and a Chicken Noodle Soup Game Changer! #BookClubBook
Recently the grocery store had a big sale on Chicken Fryers, and that means one day we had Roasted Chicken, and the next day I made my signature Mama's Soup. Usually, I use frozen Reames Noodles, but they were $3.99 a bag and that was $1.49 more than I wanted to pay.
I decided instead to make my own noodles. I found a recipe that I like at The Spruce Eats and tried it out. Nestled in this recipe is the best tip for making homemade noodles. The recipe says you can use a knife to cut the dough into noodles or you can use--a PIZZA CUTTER! Gamechanger! Genius! I'm so glad that someone thought of doing this! A pizza cutter works approximately 40x better for me than using a knife.
Just a few days left to enter my Giveaway, just click on the MLK Day Giveaway Button on the right side of my blog to read and comment!
Today's book review is for The Midnight Library this book is the January selection for a book club I belong to where we will be Zooming to discuss what we thought of the book on the last day of January.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I started reading this book, at first, I thought I would hate it. I even put it down for a few hours. Then I picked it back up for two reasons: 1. I'm reading it for a book club and 2. The title promised me a Midnight Library and I wanted to see what that library was all about.
Once I got inside The Midnight Library, I found out there is a Book of Regrets. A Book of Regrets! That was the hook the reached inside and grabbed me. Now I was all in! I needed to know where this was going to end for Nora.
I have a soft spot in my heart for multiverses, libraries, and Henry David Thoreau. I love what if's and the idea that there are different versions of me out there living different lives having taken different paths and having made different choices. The tale of Nora Seed unfolded in expected and unexpected ways, much like any of our lives would under similar circumstances.
I devoured this book over a weekend, stopping at times to share quotes from the book. Now that the story is over, I think I might read it again someday very soon--and for that reason, it's a 5-star book for me.
I'd like to think there really is a Midnight Library for each of us.
View all my reviews
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Want to Get Away? Escape This Christmas
Is it just me or is this month going rather quickly? We are almost down to single digits on the advent calendar and there are only 16 days left of the year.
I don't know about you, but I hope next year brings back the ability to safely be around other people. I miss live music, and free library programs, and sitting with friends at a restaurant.
Thankfully we have our escapes, for me, that is reading and running and to a much lesser extent-- writing. What I am working on right now is ramping up to the New Year by starting the day with an hour of writing Monday through Friday. I am hoping this low bar of writing will allow me to start the day off on a good foot and make progress in my stories. This should also help me to blog consistently as well by using morning time to work on blog posts.
If you are bummed because you won't be traveling this Christmas, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. You'll feel like you got to go to a cozy cabin in Park City, UT with a family as entertaining as The Griswolds.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A perfect holiday romance. This book has the right amount of snow and shenanigans. Chestnuts roasting by the fireplace and tension building under the Christmas tree. I was so happy that for a change the parents of the main characters were not only alive but also in good health. Not only that, but the characters have conversations and explain things.
Also even though the romance takes place over a short period of time, the characters involved have known each other for years so it is not far-fetched.
I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book.
Maelyn finds what she is looking for and it's so much more than a holiday romance.
If you are looking for a Christmas getaway, read this book!!
View all my reviews
Thursday, October 15, 2020
#FraterfestRAT Day One!
It's here! A great excuse to immerse myself in spooky season. Today I started listening to Mexican Gothic. Tonight I am going to finish reading One Dark and Stormy Knight and today I also picked up a book I had a hold on at the library, I'm so glad that I get to read this for the Fraterfest Read a Thon: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Oh and also I'll be reading the new release - White Trash Warlock
Join me and read some spooky/cozy paranormal/YA paranormal/Halloween themed books! You can even win prizes! Click Here So if the weather is gloomy, download a book or grab one from your local library and spend some time cozied up in a chair. --And let me know what you are reading! I love book recommendations!
Thursday, September 24, 2020
I Had No Idea Making Cheesecake Was So Hard!
FOUR STARS
Before reading this book, I thought making cheesecake was a piece of cake. Now I know that's is time and labor-intensive! You have to cream ingredients by hand, you have to smash cookies to make a crust. You have to let it cook and rest and cook and rest! So much work involved that I never appreciated. Now that I know what is involved, I'll just stick to baking cookies!I read this book for the September edition of the Cozy Mystery Book Club on YouTube. You can check out this great online cozy mystery book club here: https://youtu.be/NZoDjjRymbQ First of all the main characters in this book are - Jacobia /Ellie--- Oh I know a Blues Brothers reference when I hear one! Jake and Elwood! This book was not just a standard cozy mystery, it was a cozy mystery thriller! The tension was high and the clock was ticking the whole time- how are they going to get all those cheesecakes made? Is the storm going to hit the town or pass it by? I think I might have been more invested in the cheesecake deadline than exactly who the killer was- The characters in the book and the coastal town of Eastport are so enjoyable that I would have read a whole book about the storm and the cheesecakes even if no one was found dead. This book was a nice escape, and if you are looking for a book to read during the 4th of July holiday, add this to your TBR pile and read it for the 4th (l |
Thursday, September 17, 2020
It's Official! I have hit my Goodreads.com 2020 Reading Challenge Goal- A Pefect Book to Peak On!
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When it comes to YA, I love character growth. This book delivers a wonderful story and Liz Lighty grows into to her own right before our eyes.
This was an interesting take on a prom centered story. I enjoyed experiencing the prom season with all the kids at Campbell. One of the things I liked about this book was the relationships between the characters when there were hurt feelings and miscommunications they weren't too drawn out. People said they were sorry, people apologized. I would say this book is appropriate for middle school readers as well.
Start to finish this is a very well-done book. It's easy to root for Liz and to hope for all the good things to happen to her. If Leah Johnson would want to write a follow-up book where we see Liz at college, I would pre-order it as soon as it was available.
I was very happy to learn this was Leah Johnson's first book, it's such a good debut and I look forward to reading many more stories from Leah Johson. When you read this book, it's so easy to envision the town, Liz's friends, and her family. You also feel joy. So much joy in this book. I hope that someday very soon LGBTQIA stories of High School life are commonplace and not an exception.
I also appreciated the spotlight on Sickle Cell Anemia, I had thought that there were more medical advances for those who have it and it seems there is a lot more research and treatment that needs to be funded.
I read this for a book club and am really excited to discuss the book with the group via Zoom. Can't wait to hear what others thought of the book!
View all my reviews
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Slow Cooker Experiment --And a Book Review!
When the pork was done I took some of it, shredded it and had it on a brioche bun w/coleslaw.
This is a slim bo0k, I am not sure of the specific cut off for a book to be a novella but this one is about 230 pages long. It's short enough that when you're swept away and want to finish the book in one afternoon, you can do just that. Or you can read it on a few lunch breaks.
I think as the story goes on I liked Korede less and Ayoola more. Interesting. In any case, this book is a worthy read and gives the reader plenty to think about once the book is done.