Books the Tornado is Loving at Age 7

Top Ten Tuesday hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish is taking a well deserved break this week leaving us all to our own devices.  Since I talk about the books I like and am reading quite a bit I thought I'd use this free spot to talk about what the Tornado is reading.  For those that don't know he's 7 years old and in 1st grade.  He's not struggling with reading but it isn't coming as easy to him as math so his frustration fuse has been pretty short.  Lately though it's really felt like things are starting to click and he's been enjoying reading much more lately.  I'm hoping it's the start of a new trend!

Chapter Books:

These are the books we read before bed - one chapter at a time (though sometimes a few more if they're really short or we're near the end and just want to find out what happens next!)  This past Christmas I basically picked up one of every series that I thought looked vaguely interesting and we've been working our way through that pile.  I have learned that he seems much more drawn to mysteries than other genres which has been fun to figure out!  Some of our current favorites:

1.  A to Z Mysteries: The Absent Author by Ron Roy - This is our most recent read and we both really enjoyed it.  The mystery was really cute and it really invited the reader to guess what's going to happen next and put the clues together themselves which gave us an extra level of an enjoyment.

2.  Micekings: Pull the Dragon's Tooth by Geronimo Stilton - Geronimo Stilton is the main character who also happens to be a mouse  in a world full of cheese related puns.  In this one Micekings = Vikings (took me way to long to put that together) and they're off to catch a dragon which was really fun!

3.  Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobel - I loved Encyclopedia Brown when I was a kid so I was thrilled when I found this at the bookstore.  The fact that they're really a collection of short stories makes it for great bedtime reading and they're really fun to figure out on your own.

Picture Books:

These are books he's reading to himself either for school or just for fun.  I'm thrilled that he's rediscovered Mo Willems who was always one of my favorites to read aloud!

 

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems - I love the Pigeon books and this one that features hot dogs AND a duckling is just hilarious.  He's really been enjoying them too.

My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems - I'm not as fond of Gerald and Piggie as I am of the Pigeon but Willems can do no wrong when it comes to kids' books.

Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia - He has a few of these and one for Lego Ninjago and sometihng else I can't remember and now that he's able to read he can sit for hours pouring over all the details of these books.  I'm always on the lookout for ones he doesn't have as they make great books for car rides!

Audio Books:

The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner - We'd been getting the audio books from my library's digital site and then listening to them on my phone anytime we traveled but there were only a few and we'd listened to them so many times we basically had them memorized.  Right before his birthday I found some on Amazon that were three books in a set and we've been steadily buying them set by set ever since.  He loves them and listens to them constantly!  I think they've really helped perk up his interest in reading and have helped him follow a chapter length book.

Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe - I won this book from Stormi over at Books, Movies, Reviews, Oh My and really wanted to read it to him but he was having none of it because he was convinced it would be scary.  Finally I talked him into listening to 1 chapter and he was instantly hooked.  We finished the whole book on a road trip and he wanted to immediately start over again!  Luckily there's a few more in the series!

So that's what we're reading and listening to around here?  What are you reading and listening too?  Are there any books that I must pick up for him?  I'm always looking for recommendations!

The Roanoke Girls and Hearth Stone - Fiction Short Reviews

Sometimes after I read a book I just don't have enough to say to constitute a full review.  When this happens I like to combine a few of those for short reviews.  Today is one of those posts!

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel
Description:  An old isolated family home and a family where all the girls are known for being beautiful and meeting untimely ends.  Lane and run away from her grandparents' home vowing never to return when she was just a teenager but a desperate middle of the night call from her grandfather with the news that her cousin Allegra is missing brings her back and all the old demons are swirled up again.

My Thoughts:  I was pulled into the story immediately.  I loved how Engel alternating "Then" and "Now" chapters as well as different narrators.  The writing was compelling and the atmosphere was creepy and claustrophobic.  Even when everything seemed okay it felt obvious that something wasn't right.  However, this family is dysfunctional to levels I've never seen and after the 2nd secret was revealed I just couldn't continue reading it.  If you can handle dark and disturbing this is a book worth reading.  I don't want to spoil it here but if you're looking for a spoiler check out this review.  I think this book will really work for a lot of people and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next but for me I just couldn't get past the "secret".  DNF'd at 25%

Hearth Stone (Home in the Hills #1/Hope Springs #4) by Lois Greiman
Description:  Poor little rich girl, Sydney Wellesley, has lost her fiance, her dream of making the US equestrian team, and finally the support of her cold, unforgiving family.  When her financial support dries up right after she buys a dilapidated ranch she's alone and almost defeated.  With the help of a wounded wild horse and assortment of local characters is it possible that she can find her way on her own?

My Thoughts:  One of the chief complaints I've seen for this book is that the main character isn't likable.  And she really isn't.  She's a bit stuck up, she's very formal, and she's definitely not winning any prizes for compassion.  However, while I normally have to really connect to the main character in a more character driven novel I had no issue with this book.  No, Sydney isn't someone I'd immediately want to grab coffee with but I did understand her.  She comes off as not likable because she knows no other way to be and with her upbringing has no other choice but very slowly she starts to break out of her shell and that was really fun to see.  I enjoyed the interactions between the different characters - especially between Sydney and Hunt.  While there is an injured horse it wasn't an act of cruelty nor are the injuries described in real detail and it was a really heartwarming part of the story.  My main problem with this book was that I just wanted more - I wanted to see more of Sydney becoming who she's just figuring out she can be and more of her developing relationships with Hunter and the other characters.  As well I wanted more idea of the path of the ranch itself.  This is the first of a series so I'm hoping I'll get that "more" in the next books.  If you enjoy women's fiction and don't need everything resolved at the end I found this to be an interesting and enjoyable read.  Rating:  Good

This Week in Reading - February 26

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:

Dying Breath by Heather Graham - It's the new Krewe of Hunters book and I'm powerless to resist! Plus this one comes out at the end of May which is about the time I'm really loving romantic suspense or other creepy books (NetGalley)

To the Stars Through Difficulties by Romalyn Tilghman - I'm really excited about this one!  Inspired by their foremothers who built fifty-nine Carnegie libraries a century ago four women band together to build a cultural center against opposition.  This one comes out just in time for National Library week and it looks gorgeous!  (Publicist)

Death at First Sight by Lena Gregory - I'm super excited about this one one!  I'm reading the 2nd book for a blog tour next month or so and the form asked if I would want a copy of the first book if available.  I checked yes but wasn't really expecting to get it.  Well it showed up in the mail just a week later!  Really looking forward to starting this series!  (Author)

Currently:

Reading:  Pekoe Most Poison by Laura Childs, Key of Light by Nora Roberts, and One Two Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

Listening:  Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty.  I'm on the fence about this one.  There's a lot I like but there's a few things that just aren't quite working for me.

Watching:  I kind of fell into a true crime rabbit hole this week and have been watching mostly Investigation Discovery shows.  My favorite is Web of Lies about internet related crimes of A Crime to Remember which is about historic-ish crimes.

Off the Blog:

We had a busy weekend and then the Tornado was out of school Monday and Tuesday.  I was really hoping for a catch up week and then a relaxing weekend.  All was going as planned until the school nurse called me Thursday afternoon to say he had a fever of 102!  Well I flew up to school excepting him to be sad and droopy and miserable and while he definitely wasn't feeling well he was also seriously annoyed because he had to leave school and couldn't go back on Friday!  I did finally get him settled and past the fact that he wasn't going to school Friday but he's still not fully on board with the resting concept.  I'm hoping that by Sunday night he's back to his regular self or we'll be heading to the doctor which will mess up his no sick visit ever streak!

Next weekend the local theater here is doing Miss Nelson is Missing and I'm so excited I can barely stand it!  This was one of my absolute favorite books as a child.  I'm torn between reading it to the Tornado before we go so he knows the story or waiting so the story will be a surprise.

I'm so thrilled with the new re-read feature on Goodreads!  I have been wanting one for ages and just finally used it and it worked!  It was so exciting!  As well I'm mixing it up some next week genre-wise.  I've been super cozy mystery heavy lately and I'm glad to have some fiction and romance reviews in with the cozies!  It's been nice mixing up the genres because I've been feeling myself start to slide into a slump and different genres seems to have put the brakes on.  Huge relief!

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday: Ramblings from the Stacks: They'll all get read right?
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I Loved More/Less Than I Thought I Would
Wednesday:  A Cast of Vultures - Cozy Mystery Review
Thursday:  Facials Can Be Fatal - A Cozy Mystery Review

Friday: Friday Linkups with Key of Light
Saturday:  52 Pins in 52 Weeks - February Edition

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  Roanoke Girls and Hearth Stone - Fiction Short Reviews

Tuesday: What the Tornado is Reading Now

Wednesday: Fatality by Firelight - Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Review + Giveaway

Thursday:  One Wild Night - Contemporary Romance Review

Friday: Friday Linkups with current book

Saturday: Pekoe Most Poison - Cozy Mystery Review + Recipe

Have a great week and happy reading!

52 Pins in 52 Weeks - February Edition

I absolutely love Pinterest! My current pin count is just under 10,500 and I have dozens of boards. I alternate between pinning from the tons of food and craft blogs (I have a different system for book blogs!) and pinning after mindlessly scrolling through the "Everything" option where I can see all the pins that have been pinned and repinned recently.

 In 2015 I realized that while I relied on Pinterest for all kinds of things a lot of my boards were being seriously neglected and even in the boards I did use regularly there were still plenty of pins collecting dust. And that's where 52 Pins in 52 Weeks came from. At the first of the year I make a board called 52 Pins in 52 Weeks and fill it with 52 pins that I want to do over the course of the year. I've tried to include a good mix of food, holiday, and craft pins and push myself to step a little out of my comfort zone. I pin my results on my 52 Pins in 52 Weeks Results board. Some pins are wins and some are most definitely fails but it's always interesting to attempt them! 

 This year I hope you'll share your Pin Wins and Fails with me and link up below! The format is totally up to you. Just post about the pins you've tried over the month (it can be multiple posts) and link up here! The link up will the the last Saturday of every month and I can't wait to see what everyone is doing!

Not quite as decorative as I would have liked!

Week 5:

The Pin: Easy Valentine's Recipes for Kids from Parenting

The Basic Idea:This is a selection of kid friendly Valentine's day recipes.  I used the calzones

My Results:  This was fun and pretty tasty.  My only problem is that it was a little harder to make them shaped unless I had a really big cookie cutter.  All of my regular cutters were to small to put filling in the dough and then crimp the edges  Next time I'd roll out the dough a little more carefully and then maybe cut a design into the top of the dough.  Other than that it was tasty and super easy to customize for picky eaters.

Chocolate Cream Pie Perfection!

Week 6: 

The Pin:Chocolate Cream Pie from Something Swanky

The Basic Idea: A rich creamy chocolate pie with a whipped cream topping

My Results: I cheated and used a purchased pie crust but other than that and using Special Dark cocoa powder I followed the recipe exactly.  Other than some stirring it was super easy and the results were amazing.  I'm thinking about making another one this weekend because it was so good!

Week 7:

The Pin: Disney's Baked Ravioli from Plain Chicken

The Basic Idea: Baked ravioli in a hearty meat sauce

My Results: I'm not sure how much this tastes like the one from the restaurant at Disney World but it was pretty tasty!  It was a little more complicated than my usual baked ravioli recipe because you make the red sauce from scratch but it was delicious

Week 8:

The Pin:How to clean the gunk around the sink drain from Ask Anna Moseley

The Basic Idea: Drop a denture cleaning table into the sink to clean the drain.

My Results: This was simple and the supplies were cheap.  I have a marble countertop/sink and there are tiny cracks right around the drain that get a little bit of grunge in them.  I thought this might be an easy way to fix it.  I think this might work great for soap scum for for cracks or small dents I didn't notice any difference.

Not photogenic but it sure was tasty!

Week 9:

The Pin: Two Minute Thai Peanut Noodles from Favorite Family Recipes

The Basic Idea: Dressing up regular Ramen noodles with peanut butter and Sriracha

My Results: These were unexpectedly good.  I've never really eaten Ramen noodles before so I don't know how they taste normally (I lived off Snickers bars in college) so I was very suspicious of these but I was pretty pleased with the results.  This definitely isn't a serve to company dish but it's a pretty good late night snack or guilty pleasure meal!

I'm linking up with Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Friday Linkups - Key of Light

It's Friday linkup time!  I'm linking up with the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, Book Beginnings of Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice

This Week's Book Blogger Hop Question:
How do you feel about books with multiple narrators?

My Answer:
It depends on how it's done.  Some of my favorite books have involved multiple narrators but if the different voices aren't clear and easy to keep track of I'll most likely DNF it.

This week's book is a spur of the moment library pickup as I'm trying to keep myself from sliding into a reading slump.  I've been reading a lot of cozy mysteries lately and while they've all been good books there's a certain repetitiveness that happens when I read too many of one genre.  I thought I'd mix it up a little and grab an old favorite from a trilogy I've been thinking about rereading - Key of Light by Nora Roberts.

The Beginning:
The storm ripped over the mountains, gushing torrents of rain that struck the ground with the sharp ring of metal on stone.  Lightning strikes spat down, angry artillery fire that slammed against the cannon roar of thunder.

My Thoughts:
I love a good thunderstorm as long as I don't have to be out in it but this one sounds a little to strong even for me!

The 56:
Moe immediately dropped his heavy head on her knee.  "Could you call off your dog?"
       "Not as long as you've got cookies."

My Thoughts:
I had forgotten about Moe and I just about squealed with delight when he showed up on the page.  He's such a great dog who regularly forgets how big he is.

So what do you think?  Keep reading?  What books do you reach for when you feel yourself sliding into a slump?

Facials Can Be Fatal - Cozy Mystery Review

Facials Can Be Fatal (A Bad Hair Day Mystery) by Nancy J. Cohen

Rating: Good
Source: Author

Description: During the frenzy of the December holidays, the last thing salon owner Marla Vail needs is a dead body slathered in a green facial mask at her new day spa. The victim, Valerie Weston, was a major donor for Friends of Old Florida, a historic building preservation society. Marla’s stylists are scheduled to work backstage at their upcoming gala fashion show, but Val’s demise might put a crimp in their plans. Hoping to salvage her reputation, Marla determines to track down the suspects. As she learns more about Val, she realizes the benefactress might have stumbled onto secrets others would kill to keep. She’d better prepare for a body count that has nothing to do with hot stone massages and everything to do with murder.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book: I really enjoyed the previous book in the series and really wanted to see Marla on her home turf.

My Impression:  I read Cohen's previous book in this series (Peril by Ponytail) around hair stylist and salon owner, Marla Vail, last year and while I really enjoyed reading about Marla and her new husband having adventures on their honeymoon I was really looking forward to getting a peek into their daily lives.  I loved seeing Marla at her salon dealing with clients, her stylists and the regular daily emergencies.  As well, I really enjoyed seeing Marla and Dalton settle in together and their interactions with and about Dalton's daughter Brianna were lots of fun.  I thought it was funny how resistant Dalton was to letting her drive with her newly acquired learner's permit.

We don't have to wait long for the first body to fall and the story really got rolling then.  Just who would have disliked Val enough to kill her and was it really murder in the first place?  When a question was answered it seemed to bring up more questions and it was lots of fun navigating the clues and the giant pool of suspects.  I also really enjoyed the look into the political and not always nice world of historical preservation.  This one kept me guessing and my inner history nerd was made even happier with the talks of diaries, shipwrecks and preserving old architecture.  The setting for the final showdown alone is worth giving this book a read!

If you enjoy cozy mysteries this is a fun, light series, with a likable main characters and enjoyable side characters.  This is my 2nd book though is I think #13 in the series and while previous mysteries are mentioned not having read them didn't impact my enjoyment or comprehension of the book.
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Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  I'm really looking forward to going back and reading earlier books in the series!

Would I Recommend this Book?: If you enjoy cozy mysteries this is a great pick!

A Cast of Vultures - Cozy Mystery Review

A Cast of Vultures (Sam Clair #3) by Judith Flanders
Rating: Good
Source: Publisher

Description:  Usually sharp-witted editor Sam Clair stumbles through her post-launch-party morning with the hangover to end all hangovers. Before the Nurofen has even kicked in, she finds herself entangled in an elaborate saga of missing neighbours, suspected arson and the odd unidentified body. When the grisly news breaks that the fire has claimed a victim, Sam is already in pursuit. Never has comedy been so deadly as Sam faces down a pair from Thugs ‘R’ Us, aided by nothing more than a CID boyfriend, a stalwart Goth assistant and a seemingly endless supply of purple-sprouting broccoli.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  This was described as Bridget Jones meets Agatha Christie.  How could I pass it up?

My Impression:  While I couldn't resist an Agatha Christie/Bridget Jones mashup going in I was a little hesitant.  I mean how would this actually work?  Agatha Christie is known for her clearly plotted precisely done mysteries and Bridget Jones is known for kind of being a mess.  How it worked was delightfully!  Sam's voice is breezy, chatty, and occasionally snarky and lots of fun.  It felt like listening to a conversation with a best friend telling me all about the crazy stuff that had happened to her.  In the middle of it all is a tightly wound complex little mystery with arson and a missing persons case thrown in.

I wasn't surprised to see that the author had spent a number of years working as an editor at publishing houses just like the Sam, the main character in this series.  The scenes at Sam's work just felt so authentic that I could just feel it came from experience.  As a reader I really enjoyed the look into the not so glamorous world of publishing!  Along with the publishing house, there are a number of characters sprinkled through Sam's world from the residents of "the empty house", to her boyfried who just happens to work for CID, to her gardening neighbor who never leaves his apartment, over to Viv another gardening neighbor who plays an important role in getting her mixed up with the mystery.

If you're going for just a straight mystery this may not be the read for as there is quite a lot going on and at times the mystery is in the background.  It never felt forgotten, there were just times it was't the focus.  If you're looking for a book with a fun, intelligent if sometimes frazzled main character, love a bit of publishing house gossip, and don't mind a dead body and an additional felony or two then you can't miss with this one!  I did note that this is actually the 3rd Sam Clair book but I was actually unaware of that until I finished this book.  I don't think you'll have any problem diving right in with this one!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?:  Definitely!  I actually already own several of Flanders' nonfiction books that I'm looking forward to reading and I'd like to go back and start from the beginning with the Sam Clair mysteries.

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Absolutely!  Just be prepared that it isn't a straight up mystery.

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I Loved Less/More Than I Thought I Would

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is Ten Books I Loved Less/More Than I Thought I Would.  It's always such an amazing feeling to go into a book expecting to like it okay and end up being blown away and on the opposite end it is such a disappointment to expect to love a book and end up feeling meh at best about it.  Here are five books that blew me away and 5 that were pretty epic disappointments.

More

1.  Cinder by Marissa Meyer - Everyone I knew had raved about this book - even people who typically didn't read YA or sci-fi type reads.  I absolutely loved the cover so I decided to give it a try and I absolutely loved it!  I read Scarlet right after and then took a break but I'm dying to pick up Cinder.

2.  The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - I'm a big Doctor Who fan but I'd been hesitant to read any of Gaiman's books because his episodes of Doctor Who were frequently my least favorite.  I found a gorgeous copy of this at a bookstore and couldn't pass it up and I'm so glad I didn't!  It was so weirdly wonderful!

3. Before the Fall by Noah Hawley - I really had no plans to read this book.  I don't like disaster books, I don't like books where children are in peril, and I don't enjoy books about media frenzy.  BUT when I was offered a copy by someone who had read and really enjoyed it I just couldn't turn it down and I ended up really enjoying it.  It was so cleverly done that I was mad with curiosity to see how everything played out.

4. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan - I expected to like this book - it has the world bookstore in the title so how could I not.  But instead of the book about books that I expected this ended up being a fast paced treasure hunt that was just so fun to read!  The audio is awesome!

5.  The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown - I almost passed on this book when I was offered it for a blog tour.  It seemed high on the angst-y scale but I decided to give it a chance since one of the story lines takes place in 1920s Paris.  I'm so glad I took the risk because I loved this book.  I loved the characters, I loved both story lines, and I just didn't want to put it down.  One of my favorite reads of 2016.

Less

1. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll - I wanted to love this one!  I love middle grade fiction and I really like the Disney movie.  I was prepared for there to be lots of nonsense but it kind of felt like it was ALL nonsense - especially Through the Looking Glass.

2.  Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey - You know when a book sounds so you that you absolutely must have it right that minute?  This was one of those.  Ghosts?  History?  Traveling around and full of random trivia?  Sold, sold and more sold.  I was so sold I bought this new in hardback and bumped it to the top of my TBR.  I just knew I would love it.  Except I didn't.  I really really didn't.  I made it about 100 pages before I DNF'd it.

3. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon - This was a really good story with interesting characters and it was totally not for me.  I could see the value in the book itself I'm just not a fan of YA romance.

4.  Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris - I've always been hit and miss with David Sedaris but I had listened to When You Are Engulfed in Flames and laughed until I cried so I figured I couldn't lose with another audio book from him.  The best I can say about this one is that some of it was kind of funny.

5.  Good Mourning by Elizabeth Meyer - I wanted to like this.  I've read several books about the death industry so I was intrigued by this one that focused on a funeral home in New York.  I ended up being mostly irritated.  The author comes from an extremely wealthy family and she never let the reader forget how privileged she was.  She was getting up to go to work at *gasp* 8AM when her friends were just getting home from a night out.  The horror!  The sacrifice!  Who goes to work at 8AM on a Tuesday?  Oh wait - pretty much everyone.  As well she spent a lot of time complaining that people thought about money when planning a funeral.  She was appalled by how cheap they were.  Now I don't know about you but I have participated in planning a couple of funerals and while no one wants to think about money the reality is most of us do not have an unlimited budget.  I read this at least 2 years ago and I'm still getting mad about it!

So what books have you loved more or less than you thought you would?

Ramblings from the Stacks - They'll all get read right?

My To-Read list on Goodreads is 1,923 books.  My Wish list on my library's digital site (for ebooks and audio books) is 1,396 books.  My To-Be-Checked-Out list on my library's website is 251 books.  My Wish List on paperbackswap.com is 345 books.  I don't even know how many books I actually own but it's a lot.  There's some overlap on these lists but not as much as their should be and there are some books that aren't on it at all either because I bought it before it made it on a list or it's an author whose back list I want to read and just haven't added all the books. For measurement;s sake I'm going with just these actual numbers and assuming the overlap balances out the ones that are left out all together.

All together there are 3,915 books that I really want to read at this specific moment in time.  Now on average I read about 130 books a year.  So if I keep my reading speed constant and don't add any books to my TBR and don't do any rereads then it will take me just over 30 years to read them all.

That's totally doable right?  I mean in 30 years I'll only be in my mid-60s and my reading time will probably increase as my dealings with small children decrease.  In fact I have decades worth of wiggle room to add books!

Every once in awhile I'll hear someone say casually that they "know they'll never get all the books to want to read read" and it's just shocking to me.  I mean how can you think that? I can feel my pulse increase when I even think about not getting to all those books I want to read.

Though if I'm being completely honest - I probably won't.

How many books are on your various TBR lists?  Do you expect to read them all?

This Week in Reading - February 19

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:

Occult and Battery by Lena Gregory - How can I resist murder at a haunted mansion?  Plus I just love that the main character is a former psychiatrist pretending to be a psychic.  (Blog Tour)

Lost in You by Jules Bennett - Bennett is a new to me author but the story involves a hero who gives the heroine cooking lessons AND a resort.  I'm a sucker for hotel type settings.  (NetGalley)

Bel of the Brawl by Maggie McConnon - A murder, a missing person all at a place called Shamrock Manor.  There's food and lots of talk about the luck of the Irish so I'm pretty excited about this one.  (Publisher)

Tightening the Threads by Lea Waite - This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and this particular story line dives into the backstory of antique dealer Sarah Byrne who I've been dying to find out more about since the first book! (NetGalley)

Currently:

Reading:  Facials Can Be Fatal by Nancy J. Cohen and Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Listening:  I'm almost finished with The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.  I've really enjoyed it but it'll be almost a relief when I'm finished with it because I keep catching myself holding my breath while listening!

Watching: We've been watching movies lately.  We went and saw The Lego Batman Movie which we enjoyed though we all probably liked The Lego Movie more.  Later we watched Man of Steel and then Black Mass with Johnny Depp as Jimmy "Whitey" Bulger.  It was good and Depp always amazes me with how he completely changes from role to role.

Off the Blog:

We have survived the Tornado's birthday party!  His birthday is actually at the end of December but with Christmas and school break and all the madness around that there's no way a party is happening.  We didn't have as many guests as I would have liked but all the kids who came were kids he really liked and they had a really good time.  I was pleased with the venue we had picked - one of those places with inflatables.  Basically all we had to do was get a cake, invite kids, and show up at the appointed time.  They did the rest and then when it's over you just leave and they take care of clean up and all that.  If we ever do another birthday party (doubtful) I'd definitely use them again.

The Tornado is going to Space Camp Monday!  It's a trial program for day camps but he's really excited and I'm really excited to hear about it when he gets home!  Living in a town that revolves around the space industry and having a father who is an aerospace engineer he's pretty used to space related things but this is something of his own.

Eleanor and her boyfriend adopted a Husky puppy a few weeks ago and it is the absolute cutest thing.  Right now she's only about 12 weeks old but she's just a giant ball of good natured fluff.  It almost makes me want a puppy - but only almost.  Luckily they don't live too far away so I can just get my puppy fix by visiting them.

I've been on a really great reading streak lately but it seems to be slowing down.  It's not that I'm reading bad books it's just that they're all only good.  All good books isn't much to complain about but there's something repetitive about reading the same quality of book.  I need to have to mix it up a little bit or switch genres because I can feel myself heading towards a slump.

Next Saturday is my 2nd 52 Pins in 52 Weeks linkup.  If you have any posts about Pinterest pins you've tried - wins or fails - I'd love for you to stop by and link up!

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday:  Reviews from the Children's Section - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 1 and 2
Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Romance Tropes I Love and Hate
Wednesday:  Death and the Gravedigger's Angel - Cozy Mystery Review
Thursday:  Blogging is Murder - Guest Post and Cozy Mystery Review
Friday:  Friday Linkups: The Woman in Cabin 10
Saturday:  Cooking with Mary Berry - Review + Recipe

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  Ramblings from Stacks - They'll All Get Read Right?

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Books I Loved Less/More Than I Thought I Would

Wednesday:  A Cast of Vultures - Cozy Mystery Review

Thursday:  Facials Can Be Fatal - Cozy Mystery Review

Friday:  Friday Linkups with current book

Saturday:  52 Pins in 52 Weeks - February Edition and Linkup

Have a great week and happy reading!

Cooking with Mary Berry - Review and a Recipe

From the very first time I watched The Great British Bake Off (or The Great British Baking Show as American PBS seems to call it) I adored Mary Berry.   She seems so nice and she says things like "scrummy" and always seems to be delighted when people do well and so sad and sympathetic when they do poorly.  Her creations always look delicious and gorgeous and I'd been dying to try one of her recipes but hadn't had much luck finding any of her cookbooks over here in the US.  That is until Cooking with Mary Berry popped up on my Amazon feed and I knew I just had to own it.

Published in 2016 for an American audience this cookbook is crammed full of delicious looking recipes ranging from Breakfast to Main Dishes to Sides to Breads to Desserts.  Almost every recipe has a gorgeous photo as well as a calorie count per serving and occasional tips for how to prepare specific ingredients.  Since I only know Mary Berry for baking I was curious to see what a standard cookbook from her would contain and I was pleasantly surprised by the enormous variety.  There are a number of dessert and baked good recipes but there are just as many main dish and savory recipes like French Onion Soup, Coq au Vin, Turkey and Lemon Stir-Fry, Teriyaki Beef, Pork Chops with Mixed Peppercorns, Penne with Spinach and Stilton, and Calzones.  The recipes are clear and easy to follow and the ingredient list contain ingredients that you could find at just about any good grocery store. My primary problem is that why she includes oven temperatures she doesn't list stove top temperatures.  I'm a reasonably experienced cook so I know what heat level to brown beef at but if you don't I imagine it would be frustrating. Since Mary Berry is a well known British cook I figured the obvious choice for a recipe test would be her classic lasagna.  Actually what happened is I hadn't made lasagna in awhile and the picture accompanying this recipe was cheesy and gooey and looked absolutely amazing and I just couldn't resist!

Classic Lasagna

Meat Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2lb ground beef
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups beef stock
1 14oz can chopped tomatoes
6 celery stalks, sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
salt and black pepper

For the white sauce
4 tbsp butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp nutmeg

For the lasagna
4oz Cheddar cheese, grated
10 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
6 oz no boil lasagna noodles
chopped parsley to garnish

Preheat the oven to 375.  Make the meat sauce: heat the oil in a saucepan, add the beef, and cook, stirring until browned.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute, then add the stock, tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic tomato paste, and sugar.  Season with salt and pepper adn bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.  (I only used 1lb good quality ground chuck and it was really good.  I also left out the celery)

Meanwhile, make the white sauce; melt the butter in a saucepan, sprinkle in the flour, and cook stirring for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and gradually blend in the milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring until the mixture thicnes.  Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in in the mustard and nutmeg, and season with salt pepper.

Spoon one third of the meat sauce into a large shallow ovenproof dish (I used a basic 9x13 dish) and cover with one third of the white sauce and one third of the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses (I used Mozzarella instead of cheddar because my family is picky but I expect cheddar would be tasty too).  Arange half of the lasagna in a single layer.  Repeat the layers, finishing with the Cheddar and Parmesan (I added some extra mozzarella on top).

Bake in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes until the pasta is tender and the topping is a golden brown color.  Serve at once, sprinkled with parsley.

My Results:  Despite the title this wasn't exactly what I would consider classic lasagna.  Most lasagnas I've made have a heavier ricotta/egg layer and a much saucier meat sauce.  However, I found this absolutely delicious.  The white sauce gave it almost a creamy element and it was hearty and cheesy as well.  I liked that it was super tomato-y but my husband did request more of a tomato flavor next time and I think I will replace the tomato paste with double the amount of tomato sauce.  While it isn't the simplest meal to prepare I found it very logical.  I could make the the meat sauce and while it was simmering make the white sauce and then assemble the whole thing.  While this isn't what I would consider classic I think it will be come a new classic for us!

I'm linking up with Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Friday Linkups - The Woman in Cabin 10

It's Friday linkup time!  I'm linking up with the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, Book Beginnings of Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice

This Week's Book Blogger Hop Question:
Can you read and watch TV or listen to the radio at the same time?

My Answer:
Sometimes.  If it's a TV show I have no interest in and that isn't too action packed I can typically block out the noise and focus on my books.  I can also watch baseball or football games if they aren't too exciting because I'll read awhile and then check in on the score and if nothing has really changed I'll go back to my book.  For music I typically can't listen to music with lyrics but there are times when I have to have classical music on if the house is too quiet!

This week's book is one I'm super excited about - The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.  I absolutely loved her last book - In a Dark Dark Wood and have been anxiously awaiting the audio of this one since I first got on the wait list back in October.  I'm about 2/3 through with this one and I must say - it has me hooked!

The Beginning: 
"The first inkling that something was wrong was waking in darkness to find the cat pawing at my face."

My Thoughts:
While a cat pawing at your face in the middle of the night is never a good thing it's only going to get worse for Lo.  This was a scene I was glad I wasn't reading at bedtime!

The 56:
Everything was white.  The pale wood floor.  The white velvet sofas.  The long raw-silk curtains.  The flawless walls.  It was spectacularly impractical for a public vessel - deliberately so, I had to assume.

My Thoughts:
I just love the imagery here.  The all white luxurious room with a somewhat sinister feel lurking around the edges.

So what do you think?  Keep reading?

Blogging is Murder - Guest Post and Review

Today I'm super excited to welcome Gillian Baker to the Library to talk about her book Blogging is Murder and where she got her inspiration and how she made her character, blogger Jade Blackwell, come alive.  My review is right below it and I hope you enjoy this post as much as I enjoyed reading Gillian's post and the book itself!

Gilian Baker on Plot and Characterization Inspiration

Readers are always curious about how their favorite authors come up with their ideas, and though we don’t want to give all our secrets away, most authors are willing to divulge a little about their writing inspiration. Katherine graciously invited me to talk a little about how I came up with the characters and plot for my new book, Blogging is Murder, the first in the Jade Blackwell Mysteries series.

Jade Blackwell, my protagonist, started to develop in my mind about 15 years ago when I got the idea that maybe I could write cozy mysteries like the ones I loved to read. But it took years before I had the nerve to start putting it on paper. Jade never gave up though. She was like a ghost appearing occasionally to remind me that she wanted me to tell her story. She eventually got her way.

The impetus to write Blogging is Murder was NaNoWriMo 2014. I needed a creative outlet for the stress and frustration of life as a blogger. I just started writing. In the original draft, the reader meets former college professor turned blogger Jade in her home office, which was a natural place to start. After that, I let the story flow through me. I’d write for at least an hour early each morning and found myself thinking about plot twists and possible characters while worked my day job.

After NaNoWriMo, the story sat for almost two years. Even though I loved writing it, I had too much “real” work to do. But late in 2016, I decided to throw in the towel as a blogger and try my hand at writing fiction. I’d never forgotten the thrill of it. No other “job” compared. So, I dusted off Jade’s first sleuthing adventure and started where I’d left off.

I tried to outline the rest of the story, but I just sat staring at the page. It’s like I had to wait for the characters to tell me what came next. I now know this is called “pantsing”—where you write by the seat of your pants instead of planning everything out. I’d jot down random ideas that came to me as I prepared dinner or ran errands, never knowing when inspiration would strike. But when it did, I’d stop what I was doing and write, when I could. I continued to pants it, but had to go back to make many changes before it was ready to send to my publicist. I ended up cutting about 40,000 words from the original draft.

When I first started, I only knew the protagonist, the victim, the basic story about a cyber-stalker and the murder method. That was it. I’d had the idea to kill a victim with hemlock for a long time—maybe as far back as when I saw Arsenic and Old Lace on stage when I was in college.

The plot also developed through pantsing. I’d write until I couldn’t think of where to go next. Then I’d journal about it until the next idea came to me. It took me a long while to figure out whodunit. It had me stumped. That may sound funny to readers, but it was like the villain had to reveal themselves to me. And the red herrings were tough too. I used a couple of the characters I’d already written into the story as red herrings, but had to add others. Coming up with their motivation for looking guilty and why they weren’t took me several days of plotting. What fun!

So, I guess I’d have to say that my ideas started to form years ago when some strange thing stuck in my brain and kept nagging me. Then, when I needed a diversion, the Muses smiled on me and gave me the story. It really is magical. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I’m usually meticulously organized and structured, but I can’t write fiction that way. When I try to force it, nothing happens. But when I give over to the creative spirit, that’s when the magic happens. I’ve already started giving over to the creative spirit again and am currently working on the second book in the Jade Blackwell series.

If you’d like to know who gives knocked off with hemlock and whodunit, pick up a copy of Blogging is Murder.

About Gilian Baker

Gilian Baker is a former writing and literature professor who finally threw in the towel and decided to just show ‘em how it’s done. She has gone on to forge a life outside of academia by adding blogger & ghostwriter to her CV. She currently uses her geeky superpowers only for good to entertain cozy mystery readers the world over. When she’s not plotting murder, you can find her puttering in her vegetable garden, knitting in front of the fire, snuggled up with her husband watching British mysteries or discussing literary theory with her daughter.

In her next life, she fervently hopes to come back as a cat, though she understands that would be going down the karmic ladder. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona with her family and their three pampered felines.

Contact Gilian Baker directly at

mail to:Gilianbakerauthor@gmail.com
BLOGGING IS MURDER on Amazon
BLOGGING IS MURDER on Goodreads
GILIAN BAKER’S WEBSITE
BOOK TRAILER
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

My Thoughts:

I love a good murderer mystery especially if it's about something I am personally interested in.  So of course I had to read a book where the main detective is a blogger and the main suspect is another blogger!  When Liz's blog is hacked and the hacker shows up at her home she runs to her friend and fellow blogger, Jade, for support.  Things go down hill fast for Liz when the hacker is found murdered and Liz is the only suspect.  Anxious to prove her friend's innocence Jade gets pulled into the investigation.  

I very much enjoyed this mystery.  Jade's reasons for becoming an active participant in the investigation made sense as did the fact that witness's cooperated with her.  I liked that the police were an ally and not the enemy and especially enjoyed the new deputy, Crystal, not being quite what Jade expected.  The pacing kept it entertaining but not rushed and the investigation was well done with just the right sprinkling of clues.  There are some fun characters (I'm hoping to see more of Phyllis in the next book!) but it never crossed into over the top quirky territory.  The blogging talk was just the cherry on top as I really enjoyed watching Jade run her business and listening into her discussions with Liz.

If you're looking for a quick read with a solid mystery and likable characters this is a great choice!  At a pre-order price of $.99 you can't pass it up (find it here)  I will definitely be looking forward to reading more about Jade and her adventures and I'll be double checking next time I'm chopping up herbs to make sure they're hemlock free!  Rating: Good

Death and the Gravedigger's Angel - Cozy Mystery Review

Death and the Gravedigger's Angel (An Auction Block Mystery #3) by Loretta Ross
Rating:Good
Source: NetGalley

Description:  When former army medic Tony Dozier is accused of killing a member of the hate group that disrupted his wife's funeral, the prosecution charges premeditated murder and the defense claims temporary insanity. Former marine Death Bogart and auctioneer Wren Morgan think there's more to the story.
They're both led to the long-abandoned Hadleigh House, where Wren begins preparing the contents for auction but ends up searching for the story behind an antique sketchbook. As Wren uncovers the century-old tale of a World War I soldier and his angel, Death finds a set of truths that will change...or end...their lives.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've really enjoyed this series so far and I love that there's always a history element involved because Wren's always clearing out an old house.

My Impression:  I love this series!  I almost clapped my hands with glee at the beginning because Wren, Death and Randy were going into a house that no one had lived in in close to 50 years and just the idea of all that stuff makes me giddy with excitement.  I loved the descriptions of the Hadleigh House and the cemetery and the tidbits about the man who had lived there until his death in the mid-60s.  I also thoroughly enjoyed Death's brother, Randy, joining the gang.  His interactions with Wren and with Death were hilarious and brought a lot of entertainment to the group.  It was also fun to see a lot more of the Keystones who own the auction company that Wren works for.  I had really missed them in the second book so it was a treat to see them playing a larger roll in this book - especially the grandmothers.

The mystery got off to a fast paced start with questions about who the last occupant had been, who the dead guy in the Civil War uniform found on the trail was, and how did the son of a funeral protesting minister end up dead in the car of a veteran who had recently lost his wife.  I enjoyed watching Death and Randy work on the upcoming murder trial of the veteran and watch the characters try and figure out just where the Civil War uniform had come from and how the dead man had gotten a hold of it.  I felt both of those mysteries were wrapped up very satisfactory and I really enjoyed the read.  I love Wren's character. While at times she comes off as shy and almost meek there's also a hidden toughness to her and it's nice watching her show she can take care of herself.  

My main complaint was that I wanted more from the mystery involving the angel and the last occupant of Hadleigh house.  There were so many tantalizing pieces that I didn't feel were satisfactorily wrapped up.  I love historical mysteries where the tale is told through dusty letters and found drawing and I just wanted more from this subplot.  As well, this is one of the few mystery series where I feel like it's really important to read the books in order.  A lot happened in the last 2 books that explain Death's backstory and the events that occurred with Randy and I think it could be confusing to a new reader to dive in here.  Plus the other 2 are really great mysteries so you'd be missing out if you didn't read them!

If you enjoy a good cozy mystery read and the idea of exploring old houses makes you giddy this is a series you really must not miss!  This was an incredibly entertaining addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  There's a hint dropped about the next mystery at the end of this book and I can't wait to see how that plays out.

Would I Recommend this Book?: Yes!  If you enjoy a cozy mystery then this is a great series though start with the first book.  If you've read the last two books already I think you'll really enjoy this one.

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Romance Tropes I Love and Hate

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is Romance Tropes I Love and Hate.  This was a fun topic because there are certain things I look for in books and certain topics that set my teeth on edge just reading the blurb.  So here are 5 tropes I love and 5 tropes I hate.

Tropes I Love

The fake engagement/courtship/boyfriend - I love this one!  The best thing about a fake relationship is that it forces a lot of one on one time that the couple wouldn't ordinarily have which means lots of banter, getting to know each other, and developing an emotional connection.  Then there's also the moment when one or both people realize that the fake relationship isn't so fake and they have to deal with it.  Love it!  Example - The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

The marriage of convenience - This pretty much only works in historicals but it's still a favorite.  I think it sort of brings a contemporary element to a historical in that the couple no longer has to deal with social restrictions in their relationship and can do as they wish. Example - The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

The forced team - Road trip?  Snowbound?  Forced to work together for a best friend's wedding or for a super important work project?  I'm completely on board! - Example - All I Want by Jill Shalvis

The best friend's little sister/brother's best friend - I love this kind of old friends meets forbidden love style relationship!  Example -Tears of the Moon by Nora Roberts

The second chance - I love when characters have a history as it makes the quick relationship that's so normal in romances actually feel normal.  They've already done the getting to know each other portion of the relationship.  Plus, I love seeing character growth and 2nd chances are always great about that. Example - Somebody Like You by Donna Alward

Tropes I Hate

The love triangle - I can't stand 99% of love triangles.  They always feel so unfair to one of the characters and I find my sympathy goes to the one not chosen or left at the altar instead of the couple that I'm supposed to be rooting for.

The misunderstanding - Seriously just communicate!  That woman you saw him with at dinner may be a sister or a cousin for all you know.  Just because she's has an inheritance of some known amount doesn't mean she's a mean rich girl like all the others who were mean to you before.  Seriously just talk to each other!

The revenge story - I hate revenge stories or any other type story where one person is misrepresenting themselves and their motives to the other.  It's just icky.

The secret baby/unexpected pregnancy - I hate this one so much and really never seen the romantic aspects of it.  I'd keep going but I've had to delete 3 rants so far so I think I'm just going to leave it at that.

Anything that even vaguely hints at cheating - Nope, nope, nope.  If one of the characters has not clearly ended things with the former significant other I'm just not okay.  Planning on ending it doesn't count.  I also don't like when one character is clearly not over their past significant other.  While that's not actually cheating it isn't a good sign for the relationship!

What romance tropes do you love?  Which ones do you hate?

Reviews from the Children's Section - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 1 and 2

One of my favorite genres and one that is the easiest for me to push aside is middle grade fiction.  This year to make sure I get a little more children's and young adult fiction I thought I would designate the first Monday of every month Middle Grade Monday (except for February which will be the 2nd Monday).

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car by Ian Fleming (Amazon link)
I downloaded the audiobook Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on a whim.  I hadn't seen the movie but I'd heard about it and the audiobook was short and available which was exactly what I needed in an audio at that moment.  Then I discovered that David Tennant was the narrator so another win.  I typically like middle grade fiction so I was prepared to enjoy the story but I ended up being completely and utterly charmed.  The book is written by Ian Fleming of James Bond fame and isn't someone I think of as warm and fuzzy but there is a very paternal air about the book.  I can easily imagine him telling this one chapter at a time as he's writing it to whatever young children were in his life.  There are some explanations that are done in an offhanded manner that were so fun and frequently funny.  The story itself is pretty simple.   An adventurous family with the last name Potts ends up with a battered motor car that they rescue from the scrap yard.  After they fix it up and shine it up a trip to the beach turns into a trip abroad with a run in with some international gangsters.  There's a car chase and an explosion and lots of fun.  It has the simplicity that I've come to expect from Fleming in the James Bond books but with none of the coldness.  The 160 pages are well used.  There's no downtime but the story doesn't feel rushed at all.  I wanted more but not because the story was left untold but because I was so in love with the family, the car and Fleming's writing style.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again by Frank Cottrell Boyce (Amazon Link)
Wanting more led to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again by Frank Cottrell-Boyce - another library audio book and another one narrated by David Tennant.  This book has a very different style than the first book.  It's still an adventure story but it's way more over the top with a lot more moving parts than was in the original.  Time has passed and the Potts have been replaced by the Tooting family who discover an old engine up in a try that fits into the body of the camper van they're restoring.  They don't know that that engine was once in an unusual car called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  So begins a whole series of adventures that the adventurous family couldn't have expected.  There's a lot more going on here than in the original with multiple villains, several different countries, and a car that may or may not be being helpful.  There's also a period of time when the kids are out on their own which I think most younger readers would enjoy.  This is decidedly more modern with cell phones and computers and other mentions of technology.  The characters of the children are more fleshed out and I absolutely loved Lucy who adores all things black, gloomy, and tragic but is also incredibly funny.  There's a lot more adventure in this book but not quite as much charm as in the original and the writing doesn't include the little asides that Fleming excels at.


I was surprised by how enjoyable both books were and that the original book which was published in 1964 in no way feels dated.  I think children from early elementary school ages up would enjoy this.  While there is a lot of adventure and a few tight spots it isn't scary at all and there's a bit of humor mixed into both.  I'm planning on adding these to the bedtime book stack for the Tornado (just turned 7) and I imagine that soon he'd enjoy reading these himself.  However, I enjoyed both books tremendously and think they'd work well for adults who enjoy middle grade fiction or a reader with a tired brain who just wants a fun story to read!

As for the narrator I think David Tennant should narrate everything from now on.  He's absolutely amazing and both audiobooks featured a short interview at the end where his enthusiasm for the books shone through and made it even more special.

This Week in Reading - February 12

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:

Nothing!!  I didn't get any books and don't even have an requests pending!  This is very exciting.  We are going to a movie this afternoon (Saturday) which happens to be right next door to a bookstore which we'll probably go into and there's a distinct chance I might pick something up but that'll go on next week's list so it doesn't count!

Currently:

Reading: Still reading Still Life by Louise Penny and The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn.  As well I have a fun cozy mystery going called Blogging is Murder by Gillian Baker 

Listening: Yes, My Accent is Real by Kunal Nayyar (Raj on The Big Bang Theory) and absolutely LOVING it!  I should get my notice that it's my turn for The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware any day so that will be next.

Watching:  I'm finally getting around to watching the latest Sherlock season and not sure what to think of it.  Because of the audio book I'm listening to I've started watching early episodes of The Big Bang Theory and have really been enjoying them.

Off the Blog:

We are officially recovered from whatever bug that hit the house last week.  I don't think I felt quite right until earlier this week.  I don't get sick very often but this definitely knocked me for a loop!  One good thing is I'm really appreciating being healthy again!

I had a follow up appointment with my allergist this week which was interesting.  In my allergy testing back in November I discovered that I was allergic to cats which at the time wasn't a big issue since we had just had to put our older cat to sleep and were currently cat-less.  I have discovered that when I'm staying in the same house as a cat I'll be fine for a day or so but after that my eyes swell up and I'm miserable.  The problem is that we've promised the Tornado a kitten and I don't want to disappoint him but I also don't want to be miserable.  Apparently the solution is allergy shots started off with a "rush" procedure which is basically a whole lot of shots in one day.   Has anyone had allergy shots before?  Any side effects or problems?  I'm not a big fan of shots but it sounds like the best option.

We're not really big Valentine's Day celebrators but I do like to make a special meal for the Tornado.  I found a recipe for heart shaped calzones that look really fun and I thought I'd make a chocolate cream pie with Valentine's Day sprinkles.  This weekend we're decorating a box for school for their Valentine's Day party Tuesday and I have to put together Valentine's for his class.  I remember being a kid and Valentine's were just the cards but when the older kids were little they had to have a treat attached and now it seems like everyone puts together little bags.

I'm trying to get caught up on all the blog stuff I've left unattended for an embarrassingly long time.  This week I'm hoping to get back in the habit of replying to comments and am planning on starting today.  I've thought about using Disquis or something for comments.  Has anyone tried it with Blogger?  Any tips or hints?

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday: On Second Thought - Women's Fiction Review
Tuesday:  Ten Books I Wish Had More/Less X in Them
Wednesday:  The Fifth Petal - Mystery Review
Thursday:  Close to Home - Contemporary Romance Review
Friday: Friday Linkups with Teasers from Still Live
Saturday:  My Milk Says I'm 36 - Thinking About Food Trends

What's Coming Up:

Monday: Middle Grade Monday - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 1 and 2

Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday  - Romance Tropes I Love or Hate

Wednesday: Death and the Gravediggers' Angel - Cozy Mystery Review

Thursday: Death by Blogging - Cozy Mystery Review

Friday: Friday Linkups with Current Book

Saturday: TBD

Have a great week and happy reading!

My Milk Says I'm 36

Lately I've been thinking about how the time period we grew up in affects our eating preferences.  There are things like availability of ingredients and different methods of cooking but it seems like even more important are the food trends and just random circumstances that influence our preferences years later.

It all started with a gallon of milk.  You see I do about 99% of the grocery buying in the house and even when J picks something up it's usually with a specific list from me.  But I had had to unexpectedly go out of town for a few weeks and J and the Tornado were left to fend for themselves which required food which required a trip to the grocery store and the purchase of a gallon of milk.

Now I'm not much of a milk drinker but I do have a fairly serious Frosted Mini Wheats habit and after I'd been home a few days I made myself a bowl.  As I poured the milk in I knew instantly that something was wrong.  It didn't pour right and I knew as soon as I took a bite that it had ruined my bowl of cereal.  The flavor was weird and the milk coated the inside of my mouth.  I suffered through that bowl and checked the label of the milk as soon as I finished (I'd already checked the expiration date so I knew it wasn't that) and sure enough there it was - 2%.  I was born in 1980 and somewhere in the time I was developing taste buds and milk preferences everyone became afraid of fat and by the time I was 10 all the milk that could be found in my house and my friends' houses was skim.  To me milk is supposed to be colored water that wets the cereal and basically nothing more and for it to have flavor or texture is just plain wrong.  It tastes like drinking straight up cream.

To J a child of the 70s milk is supposed to have flavor and texture - he grew up on whole and only switched to lower percentages in his late teens.  His taste buds were well developed long before everyone became afraid of fat.  That being said he has his own fear - the casserole.  You see while I grew up in the fear of fat he grew up in the dawn of the Cream of Chicken Soup can and the rise of the casserole.  To him and his older brother it was a scary time.  Everything was casseroled and there was one particularly loathed dish that they both swear was made at least once a week called Hamburger Bean Pie.  This featured ground beef, some tomato paste, canned green beans, and little biscuits baked on top.  To this day both he and his brother are deeply suspicious of ground beef if not in hamburger, meatball, or meatloaf shape.  His brother won't eat food that is mixed together and J doesn't eat anything that is called a casserole.

My dad who grew up in an earlier decade will only drink "fresh" milk.  When he was a kid the price of milk was controlled by the state dairy board that kept the prices artificially high.  My Grandmother who had 4 teenage boys would use her Army widow status to go to the commissary on a nearby Army base and stock up on food - but especially milk.  What wasn't drunk in the first few days would go in the freezer to come out at a later time.  Apparently when frozen the milk fats separate and when you pour a glass from a half thawed gallon of milk you only get the skim as the fats are still solid and then because some of the skim is gone when the milk finally does completely thaw the texture is off.

How have eating trends and other circumstances of your childhood affected the way that you eat or think of food now?

I'm linking up with Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads