When No One is Watching Review and A New Recipe

 

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent thriller! As I read I could not see any way out for Sydney and Theo--I had to keep reading to see where this story was going to go. I appreciated the history lessons interspersed in this fictional version of Brooklyn, I was very glad to see that Alyssa Cole included sources for more information on Weeksville, New Yor because I did not know of Weeksville and now I would like to learn more about its story.

The story was loaded with tension, the two Point-of-view characters were slowly unveiled as their lives were unraveling, and history lessons are shared with the readers who probably didn't learn any of this in school.

I'd love to see HBO make this book a limited series.

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This was my first time cooking Spaghetti Squash in the slow cooker. This recipe was easy to follow. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef. I added fresh basil, a couple extra garlic cloves and a tablespoon of Italian blend seasoning. I also added a pinch of sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes and I cooked tomato paste before adding it to the pot.  Here is a link to the recipe from Real Simple magazine: Slow-Cooker Ragu with Spaghetti Squash.

We will definitely have this again because the husband bought three spaghetti squash when they were on sale.  

The Last Week of October is Already Here! Witches! Warlocks!

 Halloween is coming up this Saturday and then a week from today the time changes and we will be in the dark until March.  As you know by now, I am always in the mood to curl up with a good book, and what better time to read about witches and warlocks than now as the temps drop and the nights start before dinner is on the table.   Below is a review of a book I can say is one of the best new books this year. If you enjoy contemporary fantasy or paranormal books. You have to get this book because you are going to love it. 

White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished this book a few days ago and I find myself thinking about the story at random moments like when I am washing the dishes. I'm thinking about how I was not surprised about one part of a major plot reveal because it was so very well foreshadowed so I knew something was up, but when the whole truth comes out, it's so much deeper and more impactful.

This book is in the top five of all books I have read this year. It's a great ride and I highly recommend it. David Slayton does such a beautiful job of giving us a cohesive world that spans several dimensions and in those worlds, David gives us just the right amount of fully drawn characters. I cannot wait to read what happens next.

One last thing, I really really like the love triangle. It's there, but it isn't overwhelmingly angsty.

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Are you decorated?  Here is a picture of my kitchen area coffee station all decked out for All Hallow's Eve! 

Happy Haunting! 

Great Idea To Celebrate Halloween - And A Book Recommendation!

If you have teens or tweens and are looking for a way to celebrate Halloween this year, I have an idea.  You make up a scavenger hunt list and then kids go in pairs and walk around and take pictures of the items on the list. Once they complete the list they make a photo collage of the items and show the picture to you and in turn, you give them a goodie bag prize.  

Other ideas for distanced Halloween fun, group watch a Halloween-themed movie, Zoom Halloween Costume Contest, or Just wear your costume for the next three-weeks w/a mask on everywhere you go!  Don't limit yourself to one day! This year is weird! 

As I mentioned a couple weeks back, one of the ways I'm celebrating Halloween this year is by participating in a read-a-thon.  Well, now the Fraterfest Read-a-Thon starts on Thursday!  Join me here !  You can even read the book below as part of the fun! 

Ghosts of Tsavo (Society for Paranormals, #1)
by 

Vered Ehsani (Goodreads Author)

Victoria Hamel's review

Oct 07, 2020  ·  edit

really liked it

 

A friend recommended this series to me, I got the first book from Amazon. I think the series is part of Kindle Unlimited. There are many cozy mysteries and romance books included with Kindle Unlimited and I think it's finally time to take the plunge and get the subscription!

The book is on the short side which is perfect for a cold and gloomy fall day. This book takes place in the late 1800s, but in a world where the paranormal is all around us but The Society keeps it from regular humans. The main character in this book, Mrs. Knight, is a very capable woman with a dry sense of humor so I found her to be very relatable-- however, she can see auras and can smell werewolves, and alas, I cannot.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the book for me I don't want to share because it would be spoilery. It was at the climax of the book and I was glad to see it.

This is a fun series at any time of year, but during the spooky season, treat yourself to this adventure!

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

Link to my review on goodreads 

It's Official! I have hit my Goodreads.com 2020 Reading Challenge Goal- A Pefect Book to Peak On!

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
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!


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Who likes Spooky Books?

 One month from today I'm participating in...

What's that?  Just a fun on-line reading even where anyone can participate any book that has a bit of spookiness, from a witchy cozy mystery to classic Stephen King to Urban  Fantasy to Paranormal counts.  There will be little prizes and on-line camaraderie of the best kind as we read!  

Click here to join in the fun!

I'll share what books I read here with some posts and also you can follow me on goodreads.com here  I'm working on making a Fraterfest 2020 bookshelf so look for that!

Lest I forget, audiobooks, novellas, and graphic novels all count. Heck if you have kids, share the fun!  Have a challenge with your kids.  You read your favorite a witch falls in love with a vampire stories and they read Goosebumps! 

For safety sake we won't be having Halloween parties this year, so this readathon can be a good way to embrace that Halloween Spirit! 

Comment below if you are going to participate in the Challenge! I'd love to follow along with you! 

Where Do I Go From Here?

What do you do when you get to the end of a book series, or TV series, or podcast series you love? Look for another one to love or reread?  I'm a look for another series to love. There are so many good stories out there, and only so much time. 

I'm a little sad today to say goodbye to Kate Daniels, she was funny and she was smart and she was really good with a sword! I'll miss spending time with her! If you are looking for a relatively long series with a great heroine, this is an excellent series to read.

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very fitting end to a wonderful series. If you haven't read Iron and Magic already, read it before starting the finale in the Kate Daniels series. Once again I was amazed at how well Ilona Andrews balances snarky humor and drama.

I loved how this fantasy series is really about Kate finding family and being family for other people. The mythologies used in the stories are always fascinating and I would love spinoff books featuring Roman and his family.

One of the reasons I so enjoyed this series is that Kate and Curran build real, solid love. There is some drama and there are worries along the way but there aren't dramatic fights added as a device just to keep the couple apart so I keep reading. I think it's a testament to Ilona Andrew's world-building that we have a central couple and so much action, drama, and interesting side characters that we never get bored.

When I was reading and saw there were only 50 pages until the end of the story, I was very worried about the ending, I shared Kate's concerns, I didn't see how my favorite people could survive and how everything could be resolved in 50 pages. And yet, there was resolution and a very satisfying ending. So well done!


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Who doesn't love food talk?

As you know I love to talk about food, today I tried a new recipe from Real Simple magazine.  This is a good entree salad.  The Hubs forget to get pita bread at the store so I made garlic bread instead with some leftover french bread that was in the back of the fridge and was probably a day away from going stale. I added fresh sliced tomatoes from the garden to the recipe and also some chopped scallions that were getting old--wanted to use those up.  Other than that, I followed the recipe.  The hubs liked it, and he is tough to please.  Overall I find that Real Simple recipes are relatively easy and don't need too much alteration to taste good.  Oh BTW I did add two garlic cloves instead of one.  I think if you like garlic you could do three or four cloves.  The cloves I used were really big. Yum!

If you are like me and you love food talk, and you really really love Thanksgiving food talk.  You will probably like this book!


The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the August book for The Cozy Mystery Book Club - a youtube book club- We will be talking about the book and getting to hear from the author! On 8/25/2020 at 7pm EST Join Us!

Here is my spoiler-free review. I completely enjoyed this quintessential cozy mystery. Ms. Davis does a fantastic job weaving cooking into the sleuthing. I stopped reading to take notes on how to make the pork tenderloin Sophie cooks.

Even with a pretty large cast of characters, Krisa Davis is able to give depth and personality to everyone--even Otis and Humphrey. Sometimes when you read the first book in a cozy series, so many characters are introduced that it can be hard to keep everyone straight. In this book, this is not a problem. We also get just enough of a taste of some of the side characters, that we are left wanting to read the next book not only to find out about Sophie--but also more about Bernie, Craig, and what about that Peeping Tom?

Each chapter starts with a little advice column content which is funny and connects to something in the upcoming chapter. I like this, it was a nice touch.

The book takes place over the Thanksgiving Holiday and the book is filled with the vibes of late fall, you can almost smell the turkey and pumpkin pie. Ms. Davis's writing kept me turning the pages and dreaming about fall cooking.


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Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection - A Great Escape!

Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: Box Set Books 1-3 by Barbara Venkataraman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Spend some time with Jamie Quinn, esq., you will thank me! This collection includes the first three of Jamie Quinn's adventures in Hollywoood, FL. The books are novella length and fast-paced. I really enjoyed Jamie Quinn our protagonist, she is great with the one-liners and down to earth. The books are told in a conversational style where you feel like you are sitting in a coffee shop while Jamie regales you with what has been happening in her life. At any moment you hope that Jamie's best friend Grace, a smart stylish lawyer or Duke, a PI with a heart of gold, will walk in and join the coffee talk.

Jamie is smart enough to use her resources and her researching skills as a lawyer to solve crimes without putting herself in physical danger. As you read you will hope for all good things for Jamie, and you will literally laugh out loud at some of her commentary.

The books take place in a real town, Hollywood, Florida. Many of the places she talks about in the book are real places. I had fun looking up the Broward County Parks and seeing where Jamie was going!

If you like cozies, make sure to check this one out, it's great summer or weekend reading!

As soon as I finished the third book in this series, I went right to the Amazon app on my phone to get the next book because I wanted to know what happened next in Jamie's life (of course, you can't purchase Kindle books on the app so that was annoying!)

I received a copy of this from the author to review. It is available as part of a Kindle Unlimited collection or is currently only $1.99.


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Hey There, Whatcha Reading?

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I suddenly realized the month of February is just about half over and I still needed to listen to one more audiobook in order to complete the audible challenge and earn a $20 gift card from Amazon. What to do? I previewed a few books and one caught my ear. Our Little Lies is read by a British reader with the most delightful accent--so I downloaded it. Audible.com has icons you earn for various feats and this book earned me the marathon badge because I could not stop listening.  I had to know how this book ended!

If you choose to read it, make sure you block off quality time.  Don't start reading at 8pm on Sunday when you have to work the next day! You have been warned!

Our Little Lies by Sue Watson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first third of the book is such a slow-building rise of tension that it is almost maddening. You think you can rely on the narrator, but she doesn't even know herself. Layer upon layer you wonder, will she wise up? Will she believe herself? As the roller coaster starts down its steep incline, you can't stop reading this book. You really need to have time to stop everything else in your life and finish it.

Is there a twist? More than one--and then one big one. I'll be surprised if you figure it out before it happens.

The only issue I had with this book is I thought the villain got some undeserved redemption at the end.

If you are looking for a thriller you can't put down, get this book ASAP.


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New Decade, Who Dis?

Well as you can imagine, I didn't participate in the look where I was in 2009 and look where I am now in 2019 retrospectives that were on Facebook and the like.  In 2009 I had more hair and boobs. Now an inch of hair and the boobs. Welp. It beats letting my boobs kill me.

Anywho... New Decade and I'm still here. In my head, I picture myself at 32. I think far too often as if I am not yet a grown-up and that middle age and retirement are thirty years away.  Turns out, that this year I will be half a century old.  I've already lived longer than many people and I'm much closer to retirement age than my high school years.  Wild how time goes by slowly and far too fast at the same time.  How can I be almost fifty and have two kids that are over 18?  It happened so fast and so slowly at the same time. 

For today, the sun is shining, I'm still here and I think I will go for a run.  Later I'll have another bowl of my soup from yesterday and read a book that I got for free for being a member of the Between the Chapters Book Club run by Kensington Books on Facebook. 

My Goodreads book goal for 2020 is 50 books. Get it?  50 years 50 books?  I love numbers tying into my life and my goals. 

Happy New Year. 2020 is going to be amazing (that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Who loves Halloween? Who loves Hocus Pocus?

Hocus Pocus & The All New Sequel by A.W. Jantha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fall is here and when it's Fall I fill my TBR pile with Witches and Ghosts. I also fill my DVR with movies and TV shows featuring Witches and Ghosts. When I saw there was a book version of the movie and a sequel to the -dare I say- cult classic movie--I had to read the book ASAP.

"Hocus Pocus and the All New Sequel" was a fun nostalgic read. I really enjoyed the sequel and am looking forward to seeing the movie version of this follow up to the classic Hocus Pocus. The sequel features some of the children of characters from Hocus Pocus and of course those terrible witches are back too.  Note, I read that the sequel won't start the same actresses as the Sanderson Sisters, which is a bummer to be sure. That's was makes the book even more fun, as reader of the sequel, I was able to picture the original witches. The pacing of the stories is on point with a nice build up to the final confrontation between the witches and the humans. In the original story I thought the 8 year old Dani was too mature for her age in words and actions--she really seems more like an 11 year old. The teens in the stories are perfectly age appropriate which is a nice change.

This would be a fun book to read with kids at bedtime as you count down to Halloween. I borrowed the book digitally from my library, so I'm sure it's easy to get a copy to enjoy before October ends. Once you finish the book you can have a family movie night, pop some popcorn and watch the classic movie! 


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