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Sunday, June 28, 2015

This Week in Reading - June 28


It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern - this is the 2nd in the Country Club series that is set in the 1970s and sounds like so much fun.  I couldn't resist grabbing the 2nd book since I missed the first. (NetGalley)

Cooking As Fast As I Can by Cat Cora - I've liked Cat Cora since I first saw her on Iron Chef and she's always fun to watch.   Plus she's from Jackson, MS where I have family so I'm looking forward to seeing what she has to say.  (NetGalley)

I've got one more request pending on NetGalley but I feel like I'm heading towards a couple of weeks of no new books.  I finally feel like I'm starting to make progress on the stacks of books I have around.  It doesn't feel quite as overwhelming as it was feeling.  Not because I've gotten so much read but more because I feel a little more in control.

Currently:

Reading:  Black Rose by Nora Roberts and That Chesapeake Summer by Mariah Stewart

Listening: No audio books but the Tornado got a Yo Gabba Gabba CD from the library that we've been listening to in the car and I've got the "Don't Bite Your Friends" song screaming in my head at all times.

Watching: J and I watched True Detective last week.  We watched the first season last year and liked it though the ending wasn't my favorite.  I like that they've started completely from scratch for the new season.  Wow are those people messed up!  I've also been watching Next Food Network Star which I enjoy every year.  I don't have a favorite yet but I'm sure that will change.

Off the Blog:

Last week was the trifecta of car issues.  Paul got a speeding ticket, Emma was in a wreck (minor fender bender - her fault), and then on the way home from work the water pump in her Jeep went out.  All 3 were pretty minor and I'm hoping they'll have all learned a lesson that will prevent something more serious from happening in the future.  The only problem is that when J was fixing her water pump he discovered that there was an electrical problem with her brake lights.  What we thought was just a blown fuse wasn't,  Keep your fingers crossed it's something easily solved and not too expensive.

The Tornado and I have been swimming just about every day and I have learned my lesson about sunscreen!  So far no more burns.  He's getting really comfortable in the water and we've been having a good time.

Last weekend I mentioned I was making a Key Lime Pie for Father's Day.  It turned out soooo good!  And it's ridiculously easy.  The hardest part is turning graham crackers into crumbs and then waiting overnight before eating the pie.  I followed this recipe and I was a little worried it was going to be too sweet but it wasn't.  The only thing that could be potentially complicated is that she mentions using Key lime juice which is incredibly difficult to find.  Instead I used Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice which is actually what she used too.  The bottle looks like this:
and I found it with the lemon juice in my grocery store.  Seriously - try this recipe if you like Key lime pie!

On the Blog:

What Happened:

What's Coming Up:

Monday: Murder on the Half Shelf -Cozy Mystery Review
Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books So Far This Year
Wednesday: That Chesapeake Summer - Fiction/Romance Review
Thursday:  Happily Ali After - A Humorous Memoir Review 
Friday: Friday linkups with my current book
Saturday: 4th of July menu

Have a great week and happy reading!

60 comments:

  1. Yay for Guaranteed to Bleed! Loved the first one. And those covers... :) Yo Gabba Gabba, yikes I remember that. Reminds me of Laurie Berkner and her We are The Dinosaurs song... the old Noggin (is it Nick Jr now?) LOL.

    Anyway hope you have a nice week. Good luck with the car issues, never fun.

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    1. I had forgotten about Noggin! Yes it's Nick Jr now. Yo Gabba Gabba is strangely hypnotic. I'm hoping (knock on wood) that we are done with car issues. No fun!

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  2. Ooo bad luck with the cars for sure. My son got in an accident the other week one in which the other driver got mad and deliberately stopped dead so my son would hit him. Freaked him out a little. I keep thinking I will slow down on books and then more appear or oh yeah book three is out...gads. Hope your week is a good one with no bumps :)

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    1. That's crazy about your son! That would've shaken me up too. If someone is crazy enough to willingly get in a car accident you never what they'll do. I like that I'm slowing down on books but I finally had to give up on a full on ban because there's some books I just can't resist!

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  3. I enjoyed that particular trilogy by Nora R. I listened on audio and enjoyed. Oh dear hate it when things start to go wrong with cars. Great that the Key Lime pie turned out deliciously.

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    1. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the NR series! Can't put Black Rose and already got the next one!

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  4. A busy week last week and another one this week by the look of it! Love that you're getting some swimming in, but sorry to hear about the car-related issues. Glad none were too problematic though!

    Deb

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    1. I think that the car issues are taken care of for awhile. They are such a pain!

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  5. I totally sympathize with the car problem and the garage bill fear ! I recorded the recipe, thanks, I've been looking for an unforgettable recipe so I'll try it. I see you're reading Black rose, enjoy it, have a wonderful week, Katherine, fingers crossed :D

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    1. I definitely am enjoying Black Rose. I'd kind of forgotten about it so the reread has been a fun treat! This is definitely the truest Key lime pie recipe I've fond and it's so easy!

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  6. Well they do say bad things happen in threes, so hopefully that's all the car issues out of the way now! I hate when my car has to go to the garage, you just never know how expensive its going to be. Hope the electrical problem isn't too serious.
    I love the country club setting in that cozy series!

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    1. I'm hoping since we have hit three we are done! Not fun but luckily not serious! I'm excited about the country club series. I've heard good things about the first book.

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  7. Hopefully the car issue can be sorted and I am glad your daughters accident was only minor. Hopefully this week is better :) I am glad you learned your lesson with the sunscreen, no more burning LOL. Have a great week.

    Megan @ http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. It's nice not burning! Sunburns are not fun. I'm thankful all the incidents were minor even though they were definitely annoying.

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  8. Key limes are sometimes available in the store - I would think that like preserved lemon juice the jarred stuff tastes really different. Glad to hear it was good. I would imagine an alternative would be to get the limes when you see them and freeze the juice - if you want to make the pie a lot.

    One think I like about that kind of pie is that you can make it without a crust so it has a lot fewer calories. Since the graham crackers add some good flavor to the pie I would probably sprinkle some crumbs on top.

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    1. I'm not sold on jarred stuff either but this was an exception. It really did manage to give it just the right flavor. You could definitely make this without the crust. It's thick enough it could stand on it's own. Plus it's seriously yum!

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  9. Sorry to hear about your car issues, I only started driving again six months ago and already have had a puncture and a cracked number (license) plate!

    Hope this week has no car related trauma!

    Heather @ Random Redheaded Ramblings

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    1. Car problems are no fun and I hate flat tires! Hopefully your luck will improve!

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  10. I am sorry to hear about your car issues, even though they are minor things I can imagine they stil give you a scare. That must have been nice swimming every day, the weather has been warm here as well.
    Oh that key lime pie sounds delicious! I once tried making lemon meringue pie and it was a total flop, so I might have to try making this instead. Although finding key lime juice in stores here might be difficult.
    I hope you have a great week and enjoy your new books!

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    1. If you can't find that juice in the stores just juice regular limes and you should be okay. The flavor might be slightly different but it will still be good.

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  11. My review of That Chesapeake Summer goes up this week, and I'd like to start those Country Club murders too.

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    1. I look forward to your review! The series has been a little inconsistent for me but so far I'm enjoying this one.

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  12. Yea, keep up staying away from the black hole(Netgalley)! I try, but I'm always afraid I'll miss something good. Lol.
    Cars are like the bane of my existence. Probably everyone's. I was driving a really old Protege and I was always waiting for something bigger to happen. Finally it did and I had to let her go. No point putting more and more money into it. Stupid cars. Need 'em but hate 'em. Hopefully your car problems are over!
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

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    1. It doesn't help that Emma has this ancient Jeep that she adores so there's always the fear that this may be the problem that ends it. I'm not staying away from Netgalley because I was starting to get panicky about missing something! I've just changed my rules for requesting and so far so good!

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  13. Good think J found the electrical problem now and not while she was out driving around! That's good news, yeah?

    Oh, dear Lord... Yo Gabba Gabba music... I'm soooooooo sorry! I went through that hell with mine...

    Thanks for the Key Lime Pie recipe! My dad loves that kind of pie!!!

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    1. Luckily the electrical problem was inexpensive though a little challenging to find. Yo Gabba Gabba is so strangely hypnotic I always find myself staring at it!

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  14. That Guaranteed to Bleed series looks like fun...and I am also eager to read Her Sister's Shoes.

    I am off to check out Black Rose, by NR, as I missed it somewhere along the way....or maybe it's a new one.

    Good luck with those car issues...those always make me nervous, as I know nothing about fixing cars, so I get gouged by the mechanics...LOL.

    Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. Don't you love the cover for Guaranteed ro Bleed! I'm really looking forward to reading it. Black Rose is an older one but I've really been enjoying the series so far. I'd forgotten how much loved it.

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  15. The Country Club series looks like fun... will have to check out the first book.

    Last winter we were on a quest to find the best Key Lime Pie in SW Florida. Now I want to try and make it myself... will start with that recipe!

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    1. Oh try the recipe! I think you'll like it and iits so easy. I'm looking forward to the country club series. It sounds like a fun series.

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  16. Car woes are right up there with internet woes. Yuck! *fingers crossed* the repair is an easy fix. And I am definitely going to try the key lime pie! Easy is my middle name. Wait, that's not...oh, nevermind. lol

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    1. Lol! Probay not right for a middle name. Try this recipe though. I could've eaten the whole pie myself!

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  17. Three car incidents in a week - no fun! At least most of them were minor and/or fixable, and no one was hurt.

    Your Key lime pie recipe sounds delicious! But I need to swear off sweets for a while - after we eat up Mr. Bookwyrm's birthday cake. ;-)

    I'm purposefully staying away from your review of "Dressed to Kill" until I get mine finished, but then I'll be by to check it out. Have a great week, and enjoy your new mystery novel!

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    1. I look forward to your review of Dressed to Kill. I enjoyed this one! I should probably swear off sweets as well but my willpower is terrible!

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  18. I love swimming, but having to resort to the local public swimming pool which is not very pleasant. Oh, and I will def try the Key Lime Pie, as I love both the taste of lime and pies.

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    1. I don't like public pools either. They are always so crowded here. I real he enjoyed the pie. So summer-y!

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  19. Well, I've just gotta try your Key Lime pie now! It sounds fabulous!

    http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2015/06/sunday-salon-my-week-in-books.html

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  20. You've had a busy and crazy week. Sorry about the car stuff.

    I got the Julie Mulhern book from NetGalley too. I loved the first book.

    Have a great week!

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    1. Your review is one of those that made Guaranteed to Bleed so irresistible. I can't wait to read it!

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  21. I am so into Next Food Network Star! I watch it every year. I don't have a favorite yet but some I am leaning towards. Glad someone else watches it!

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    1. I love it! I watch it every year. There's definitely a few I like but I haven't narrowed it down to my favorite yet.

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  22. Oh wow, what a week. Glad everything was just minor. I have been rewatching Midsomer Murders on netflix, I like that show. :) I need to catch up on some shows I have recorded but just not in the mood..lol.

    Enjoy your new reads!
    Stormi

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    1. Midsomer Murders is on my to watch list. I've seen bits and pieces but never really watched one but it definitely sounds like something I'd enjoy.

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  23. I LOVE key lime pie. I have to try that recipe.
    I am really sorry to hear about your car troubles. We are about 15 mins away from one of ours breaking down, they are both 2008s with a lot of miles. I hope we get some money before it hits the fan.

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    1. Do try the pie! I think you'd enjoy it. Thankfully everything was minor but I'm hoping we can be done with car issues for awhile!

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  24. I'm in awe how you get so much done! reading, writing, cooking :)
    Glad you are having so much fun with the Tornado and you remember to use sunscreen
    Sorry to hear about Emma though :(

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    1. Oh thanks! I could definitely use another day in the week to get more reading done! Emma is happy now that her car is back but it was touch and go for awhile !

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  25. I'm glad the car issues didn't result in serious injuries. Yay on the continuous swimming; it's an important life skill. You've just remind me I need to stock up on more sunscreen for my jogs.

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    1. I'm not a good swimmer so I want my kids to be comfortable in the water. I'm hoping the car accident will teach her to be more careful so we can avoid anything more serious. It happened right in front of our house so she had an audience which I'm sure she was happy about that!

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  26. So glad there were no bad injuries! Loving all of your fun books this week. And I love Key Lime Pie. Rhubarb Pie too!

    My Sunday Post - http://fuonlyknew.com/2015/06/28/whats-new-on-my-bookshelf-115-and-the-sunday-post/

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    1. I've never had rhubarb pie or rhubarb anything for that matter! I'd love to try it though.

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  27. I find that car troubles always come in threes! In May I got in a small accident, got a traffic ticket, and a flat tire- so hopefully I am done with car troubles for a while! Glad to hear you are getting some swimming in, it has been such a rainy summer in my area I haven't gotten to do any yet. Have a great week!
    Thanks for stopping by the The Local Muse

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    1. It does seem to happen in 3s so I'm hoping that was it! We had a rainy few weeks at the beginning but the weather is more than making up for it now!

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  28. Mouse hasn't watched Yo Gaba Gaba in awhile. I most remember "There's a Party in Your Tummy". LOL

    I'm sorry about your car troubles and hope the latest doesn't turn out to be expensive. I am glad Emma wasn't hurt in the car accident! My car has been giving me trouble too--I took it to the local mechanic and he couldn't do anything--said I need to go to the dealership. Now I need to make time for that. I know it won't be cheap even if it is a quick fix. :-(

    I hope you have a great week, Katherine. Fingers crossed Mouse gets in the water without much coaxing today for her swim lesson!

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    1. I definitely hope Mouse enjoyed her swim lessons and willingly got into the pool! We had a Yo Gabba Gabba spell a couple of years ago and then just randomly got back into it. The songs are just insanely catchy.
      Ugh about the car. Nothing with involving a dealership is ever cheap.

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  29. It sounds like your summer is going well, Katherine. I didn't know you could find key lime juice in a bottle--so much easier than trying to find key limes and squeezing them! And I love key lime pie. I hope there are no more car issues. None of those things are fun.

    I'm reading the first country club mystery and like it quite a bit. I really like these covers.

    I could have used the song "Don't Bite Your Friends" when my kids were little! Have fun with the Tornado this summer. They grow up fast.

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    1. The Key West lime juice is really good. I'm normally not a huge fan of bottled juice in baking but this stuff is great. And the pie was amazing!
      We are having a good time but I am so aware of that clock ticking with him especially since the the older kids are so much older.

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  30. Oooh key lime pie! That is one of my favorites!! I mean, I cannot imagine ever making one, but I would love to try yours ;) Sorry about the car issues- they are the WORST. My husband's car was just inspected and needed some kind of weird brake thing... for over $700. I feel your pain. Hope you have a great week though, and that things don't end up being too bad!

    P.S.- Yo Gabba Gabba... I am so sorry ;) I don't get what kids see in some of this stuff haha.

    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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