My Christmas Reading Favorites

I'm still in the throes of a reading slump which has caused my reading to ground maybe not to a halt but definitely a slow crawl.  So since I'm not reading very much I thought this may be time to revisit some of my old Christmas-y favorites to hopefully get my reading back on track!  Here are a few of my favorites:

Middle Grade:

The Shepherd, The Angel and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry  - This is such a funny book!  I enjoy some of Barry's humor but this one is by far my favorite.  While this is a fictional story I think he drew heavily from his own childhood and characters feel absolutely wonderfully real. There are so many laugh out loud moments in this one though I think my favorite is the Nativity scene wars between the Episcopalian and Catholic churches.  While this is appropriate for children it's a wonderful read for adults too.  Definitely worth picking up!

Christmas with Anne by L.M. Montgomery - This short story collection just makes me happy.  One of the stories is from Anne of Green Gables where Matthew gives Anne the dress with the puffed sleeves and is just wonderful. The rest are similar in terms of feel good type stories.  They do stray a bit over into sappy territory but I love them so much I don't mind!

Women's Fiction/Romance

The Christmas Wedding Quilt by Emilie Richards, Janice Kay Johnson, and Sarah Mayberry  - I had forgotten about this one until I stumbled upon the review but it was so wonderful!  Basically there are three cousins who are working on a quilt and each author writes the story for a different cousin.  I adore Emilie Richard and I loved Sarah Mayberry's story and while Janice Kay Johnson's wasn't my favorite it was still a nice read.  This is a book I'd love to revisit.

Christmas in Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne - This was my first Christmas book by Thayne and I promptly fell in love.  Now I look forward to her new Christmas books every year!

Christmas Town by Donna VanLiere - I discovered VanLiere this year with this book and so enjoyed it.  So often the only way to get the warm fuzzy Christmas book vibe is a romance so I really enjoyed this story which was all about growth and fining family.

Christmas Comes to Main Street by Olivia Miles - I've come to really enjoy this small town romance series that tackles some pretty serious issues.  I enjoyed the main characters in this book and I loved all the talk about cookies!  There's one cookie that's mentioned called Red Velvet Cream Cheese Candy Cane Cookies that sounds absolutely amazing and I haven't been able to find anything even remotely like it!  I need them to be a thing!

Christmas in Eternity Springs by Emily March - The more of this series I read the more I love it.  March does a fantastic job of taking characters that feel so real with gut wrenching issues and making them feel like friends all with a dash of warm and fuzzy feelings.  This one was one of my absolute favorites!

Mystery:

Lowcountry Bordello by Susan M. Boyer - Because nothing says Christmas like a murder in a high end bordello!  This is such a fun series and such a great book.  I enjoyed spending Christmas in Charleston and getting a peek into both high end society and the seedier side as well!

What I'm Reading Now:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - I know I attempted to read this as a kid and I at least read pieces of the end because I know how it all works out but while I read Jo's Boys and Eight Cousins dozens of times I don't think I ever revisited this book so I don't remember much about it.  So far I'm enjoying it though I'm not sure it'll become a favorite.

A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie - Her bloodiest book and one I always enjoy revisiting!

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To in the First Half of 2017

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is the Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in the First Half of 2017.  For starters how is 2017 even a thing?  It sounds like it would be the year some event in a scifi book is set in.  And seriously just where did 2016 go?  I'm not ready!  I have so much more to read!    But since time doesn't appear to have a pause button I guess it's time to look ahead and what treats lie in store for me in 2017!

1.  In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen (March 1, 2017) - Bletchley Park and one of my favorite mystery authors!  I'm so excited about this book I can barely stand it!

2.  Gone Without a Trace by Mary Torjussen (April 11, 2017) - I'm a sucker for a psychological thriller and this one looks fascinating.  I love the whole concept about all the chaos caused by someone not just disappearing but having everything connected with them disappear as well.

3.  Death and the Grave Diggers Angel by Loretta Ross (February 8, 2017) - I love this cozy mystery series.  The first 2 have been fantastic and I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.

4.  Wires and Nerves, Volume 1 by Marissa Meyer (January 31, 2017) - a graphic novel about Iko?  Yes please!

5.  Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (February 21, 2017) - I can't even describe how excited I am about this one!  Devil in Winter is one of my favorite historical romances ever and this one is about their son!  Can't wait!

6.  Garden of Lamentations by Deborah Crombie (February 7, 2017) - Deborah Crombie might just be my favorite mystery author ever even though I'm a bit behind on her books so I can't wait for this newest one!

7.  She Stopped for Death by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli (January 10, 2017) - I really enjoyed the first book in the Little Library series am am looking forward to seeing what happens in this next book

8.  Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James (January 31, 2017) - Eloisa James is probably my most neglected historical romance author and I really want to read more of her books.  Plus, I heard an interview where she was talking about htis one and it was hysterical!

9.  Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh (2017 maybe?) Pretty sure this was on my books I was looking forward to in 2016 list because the pub date keeps getting pushed back but I keep hoping it'll happen!  Loved her first book and miss her blog!

10. The Girl with the Make Believe Husband by Julia Quinn (May 30, 2017) - It's a new Julia Quinn so that equals auto-buy!

What releases are you looking forward to in 2017?

James Bond Book vs Movie - Moonraker

Book

Moonraker (James Bond #3) by Ian Fleming

Published: 1955

Main Characters: James Bond, Loelia Ponsonby, M, Sir Hugo Drax, Gaila Brand, Krebs, Dr. Walter

Setting: England

Basic Concept: Sir Hugo Drax, the hero of the common man and creator of the Moonraker rocket that is to keep England in peace for generations to come has had two somewhat fishy situations come up in just as many days and Bond is sent to go make sure everything is okay along with the help of a woman from the Special Branch of the Scotland Yard, Gaila Brand.  

My Thoughts: While I've enjoyed the previous 2 Bond books I didn't find them to be completely gripping.  Moonraker right from the beginning is completely different.  We start with Bond waking up in his flat and heading to work just like anyone else.  Seeing Bond at a desk like a regular office worker thinking about how much he makes a year and dealing with paperwork was fascinating and I adored getting this peek at the softer side of Bond.  Of course that doesn't last very long as things quickly go haywire but even at the height of adventure he's on his home turf and interacting with his boss and others that are part of his day-to-day non-adventure life.  I think because of this Bond himself is more relaxed and more introspective.  I also really enjoyed the women in this book.  While Fleming and the Bond franchise will never be considered feminists Miss Ponsonby and Gaila are both interesting characters and are more than just cardboard cutouts in the book for decorations.  There is a paragraph or so on Miss Ponsoby's career path and the choices that she will have to make was both sad and realistic.  Gaila is almost (but not quite - it is Bond in the 50s after all) an equal.  She's good at undercover work, cool under pressure, and quick on her feet.  She's good with figures and pays attention to detail and plays a major role in saving the day.  Plus, the end is kind of delightful - especially if you're used to the way Bond's relationships go in the movies. I absolutely loved her!  The plot itself is fast paced with some nail biting moments and kept me listening far longer than I intended because I HAD to find out what happens next.  If you're new to the James Bond books start with this one - you won't regret it. This is between 4 and 5 stars for me and I'm almost afraid to watch the movie as I love the book so much!  Rating: Loved It!

On a side note one of the proposed titles for this book was Mondays are Hell which might just have been the most perfect Bond title EVER.

Movie:

Release Year: 1979
Main Characters: James Bond, M, Q, Hugo Drax, Holly Goodhead, Jaws, Corrine Dufour, Miss Moneypenny, and Chang
Setting: England, California, Brazil, Columbia, Space (because why not?)

Basic Concept: A shuttle is stolen and Bond is sent in to investigate in an investigation that takes him all over the world and beyond as he determines just what the mysterious Hugo Drax is up to.

My Thoughts: What fresh hell was that bit of nonsense??  If you were playing a drinking game where you took a drink every time something that was in the book happened in the movie by the end of the movie you'd be completely sober.  The good news is that if you have seen the movie you can go right ahead and read the book because there are absolutely no spoilers in the movie.  Other than Bond, M, and Hugo Drax there aren't even any of the same characters.

On the plus side was this one was actually kind of fun.  It was beyond absurd and bordered on slapstick but I did understand what the plot was which is way better than the last movie (Live and Let Die).  There were lots of moments that were so absurd that I couldn't help but laugh and I did want to see just how they wrapped everything up.  As long as you go in expecting a movie more like Airplane than Casino Royale I think you'll be entertained.

Overall:
I can't even begin to describe how different the book and movie are.  It'd probably be easier to say how they ARE alike.  While this movie was entertaining the book was much better and completely different across the board.  I like that while Bond does usually manage to save the day in the end the path to get there is usually pretty bumpy and unlike the movies there isn't a gadget to be found.  The next movie in the order of the books is a Sean Connery and I'm super excited.  I'm looking forward to seeing how his Bond is different from Moore's almost comic book style Bond.

This Week in Reading - December 11

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:

This is really 3 weeks worth of books so it's not as bad as it looks! These are all from NetGalley:

Manderley Forever: A Biography of Daphne du Maurier by Tatiana de Rosnay

Pekoe Most Poison by Laura Childs

Rather Be Dead by Ian Rankin

Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany

Murder Go Round by Carol J. Perry

Fudge and Jury by Ellie Alexander

The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry

At Close Range by Laura Griffin

Currently:

Reading:  Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie, Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Listening:  I was listening to 1984 and just wasn't in the mood for it.  So I put it aside for a little while and am listening to podcasts until I get more into a audio book mood.

Watching:  J and I are watching Top Chef and I've started watching Gilmore Girls.I haven't watched it before but so far I'm enjoying it.  I'm also catching up on some shows that I missed - especially NCIS, Bull, and Criminal Minds and enjoying them as well.

Off the Blog:

I've been home for a week and we're slowly getting caught up.  J and I got a lot of Christmas shopping done yesterday and are hoping to get the tree up and some other decorations today and tomorrow.  I did some school volunteering this past week at the Tornado's school.  This coming week is the Christmas party and I'm hoping to get back to they gym.  I've missed a few weeks and I'm definitely missing it!

For some reason I've landed in the middle of a reading slump.  I'm not much of a mood reader and rarely have problems reading what I need to read based off a list but lately I've been picking up review books and just not clicking with them.  I'm taking at least the rest of the month off and am just going to read what appeals to me at the moment.  So far what's been appealing to me has been Middle Grade and Children's Classics as well as some Agatha Christies!  I'm hoping that will knock me out of the slump though I am glad that I still want to read as I know some people struggle with that when they hit a slump.

Thanks for all the comments and kind words while I was away.  It really made my day and it was nice to check in with everyone that way.  My Grandfather is doing much better though there is still quite a bit of recovery ahead of him.  

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday: Egg Drop Dead - Cozy Mystery Review
Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I Read for the First Time in 2016
Wednesday: Love From Boy: Letters from Roald Dahl to his Mother - Nonfiction Review
Thursday: Mistletoe Mysteries - Mystery Short Story Collection Review
Friday: Friday Linkups with teasers from Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen
Saturday: SkinnyTaste: Fast and Slow Cookbook Review + Recipe

What's Coming Up:

Monday: James Bond Project: Moonraker - Book vs Movie

Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2017

Wednesday: Christmas Book List

Thursday: TBD

Friday: Friday Linkups

Saturday: TBD maybe belated November 52 Pins in 52 Weeks

Have a great week and happy reading!

SkinnyTaste: Fast and Slow - Cookbook Review + Recipe

Between all the crazy events and calorie laden foods of the season finding recipes for meals that are fast to prep and healthy to eat is super important for me right now - and if it's tasty as well that's pretty much the jackpot.  Knowing that I'm going into the season of eating which starts for me in about mid-November and runs through the first half of January I was delighted to see Gina Homolka's new cookbook - SkinnyTaste: Fast and Slow cookbook on Blogging for Books earlier this month.  I requested it as soon as I saw it and counted the days until it finally arrived and I must say this is a cookbook that I can see getting a lot of use out of!  

This cookbook is a mix of slow cooker recipes and quick prep recipes with a focus on main courses.  There are chapters that tackle breakfast, soups of all kinds, one bowl meals, pasta, taco night, poultry dishes, meat dishes, and seafood and meatless dishes.  There are 2 short chapters of side dishes and desserts but this is really geared towards main dishes.  At the beginning is the usual chapter of pantry products as well as some discussion about cooking in season, making menu plans, and getting the most out of your slow cooker.  She also has a whole month of menus already prepared with 3 meals, plus snack and a treat as well as factoring a dinner out once a week.

Some of the recipes weren't for me because they require a pressure cooker which I don't own and am afraid of because apparently fears are genetic - my Grandmother was terrified of them too.  Some in the taco or one bowl chapter feature shrimp which I can't eat.  There are also some (like the Cauliflower-Potato Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Chutney) which just don't appeal to me.

However, many more do sound tasty like the Asiago-Crusted Chicken Breasts, or the Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala.  The Zucchini Wedges with Lemon and Fresh Oregano sounds like a wonderful and different way to use up bumper crops of zucchini and the Pasta E Fagioli sounds pretty tasty on a cold evening.  With the 2 recipes I've made (the Asiago-Crusted Chicken Breasts and the Tomato Soup listed below) both were tasty but I'm not sure that I would label them as super fast.  These aren't dump and bake recipes and there is a decent amount of prep involved.  It still qualifies as pretty fast but if you're looking for less than 30 minutes from start to dinner you might be disappointed.

Since winter has decided to show up here in North Alabama I thought it was the perfect time to try out this Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Soup recipe.  I'm a big fan of tomato soup and really anything made in the slow cooker!

Slow-Cooker Creamy Tomato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

3 1/2 cups reduced sodium or chicken broth

1 sprig of fresh thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish 

1 bay leaf

Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese rind (optional)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cup 2% milk, warmed

1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the oil, celery, carrots, and onions, and cook, stirring until soft, 7 to 8 minutes.  Transfer to a slow cooker.

Pour the juice from the tomato can into the slow cooker.  Roughly crush the tomatoes with you hands as you add them to the cooker.  Add the broth, thyme, basil, bay leaf, and cheese rind.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.  Remove the bay leaf and cheese rind.  Puree the soup in the cooker with an immersion blender until smooth (or in a stand blender, in batches)

In a large skillet, melt the butter over low heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour becomes golden, 4 to 5 minutes.  Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot soup.  Add the warmed milk and stir until smooth.  Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and stir.  Add the Romano, salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and cook on low for 30 more minutes.

To serve, divide the soup among 6 bowls and garnish with basil.

My Results: This was a tasty tomato soup which definitely had a bit of a creamy touch.  The one thing I will do differently next time is make sure the vegetables are REALLY finely chopped.  I got a bit bored with the immersion blender after a few minutes and while it was mostly smooth there were a few tiny chunks that made the texture a little weird.  I think if I had started with smaller pieces it would have been easier.  I served this with cheese bread (recipe for another day - definitely NOT on the SkinnyTaste menu plan) and it was delicious.

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

Friday Linkups: Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen

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:
What is your best guess that you won't be changing the genres you currently read?

My Answer:
I definitely don't think I will stop reading any of the genres that I currently read but I am wanting to expand what I read.  I'm learning more and more what appeals to me in a book and am hoping to take that and find more sci-fi or fantasy books I enjoy.

This week's book is a a Christmas murder mystery.  Most of the holiday books seem to be romances and while I love a good Christmas romance it's also lots of fun to read something with a decidedly festive feeling that's just a little bit different.  I've read other books by Vicki Delany in another series and enjoyed them all and I've been really excited to start this first book in her Year Round Christmas series.  So far I've really enjoyed Rest Ye, Murdered Gentleman and I love that the title is a pun on my favorite Christmas carol!

The Beginning:
The tips of the tall turquoise and green hats bobbed in the lightly falling snow as the elves weaved through crowds of painted dolls, toy soldiers, shepherds with their sheep, reindeer, poultry, clowns, sugarplums, gingerbread people, and candy canes.


My Thoughts:
I'm not exactly sure what she's describing but I find that I now want gingerbread!

The 56:
It was late, but I had a call I knew I had to make.
"If this isn't Ryan Gosling calling for a date, you're a dead man," said a sleepy voice.
"It's not Ryan, but you need to hear this," I said.

My Thoughts: 
I'm not sure even Ryan Gosling would make me forgive someone for calling in the middle of the night but I am curious to hear what's going on!

So what do you think?  Keep reading?  What genres are you drawn to around the holidays?

Mistletoe Mysteries - Mystery Review

Mistletoe Mysteries: Tales of Yuletide Murder Collected by Charlotte MacLeod

Rating: Good
Source: NetGalley

Description:  Every one of the great detectives of literature, from Sherlock Holmes to Hercule Poirot to Nero Wolfe, has endured a holiday marred by murder. Now, modern mystery writers including Mary Higgins Clark, Marcia Muller, Aaron Elkins, and others place their detectives in a Yuletide setting for a special mix of murder and mistletoe.

Genre: Mystery - Short Stories

Why I Picked This Book:  I have enjoyed similar collections in previous years and I love that Open Road Press is bring back these more classic collections.

My Impression:  I'm going to be honest here - between the holidays and some family emergencies that have cropped up lately - my brain is fried and my attention span has shrunk to gnat-like proportions.  Throw in all the mile long to do lists and just being chronically short of sleep and I'm struggling to focus on the simplest of plots.  And that is where this collection of short stories saved the day!  The stories are short but perfectly complete, incredibly entertaining and unbelievably varied.  There are hauntings, espionage, blackmail, misunderstandings, and straight up murder all in this festive time of year.  Not only does it feature several old favorites (Charlotte MacLeod, Sharon McCrumb, Aaron Elkins, and Marcia Muller) but it also included several new-to-me authors who were lovely surprises (particularly Peter Lovesey and Susan Dunlap's stories) and included a short story by Isaac Asimov that was entertaining and unexpected.

Like all short story collections not every story was a shining star but I didn't find any real bombs here.  I loved MacLeod's best and Lovesey's was a close second.  All the stories felt complete and were well paced well which isn't too big of a shock given the caliber of the authors that are featured.  This was a fun way to get a bit of murder and a bit of holiday spirit without having to make my brain try and focus through a full length book.  Perfect reading for the middle of the holiday season!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  Not only did it reinforce my love of some old favorites but it's given me several authors I want to read more from.

Would I Recommend this Book?: Definitely!  If you enjoy mysteries this is a really solid short story collection.