Weekend Book Reviews

Beauty in the Broken Places by Allison Pataki is the true store of Allison and her husband Dave.  While on a flight to their babymoon, Dave suffers a life-threatening stroke.  This memoir is a mix of what follows and their life before the stroke.  It was both scary and inspiring.  I appreciated the author's honesty in becoming a caregiver while being a first time mother.  The focus on her faith added to the moving narrative of struggle and healing.

Nicole Weston's Perfectly Creamy Frozen Yogurt uses Greek yogurt, meringue, and a simple ice cream maker to make delicious frozen treats.  I tried out the basic vanilla frozen yogurt on my family.  While my husband was not a fan of the yogurt tang, my parents and I agreed that it was delicious.  I especially liked that it was easy to make.  The base came together quickly and was able to go straight into the ice cream churn.  I will be making several other varieties over the summer months.  This is a wonderful book for those who want a lighter homemade summer treat.

Fix, Freeze, Feast 2nd Edition by Katie Neville and Lindsay Ahrens is a slightly updated version.  I own the previous book and was anxious to see the changes.  The second edition includes 25 additional recipes.  I also noticed a better layout overall.  People new to freezer cooking will find a step-by-step introduction.  Most of the recipes make three freezer meals of four to six servings each.  The recipes are easy to scale down for smaller families.  The freezer meals use basic ingredients but go beyond the creamed soup casseroles you might expect.  It is a wonderful book for first time and seasoned freezer cooks.


Damnation Island by Stacy Horn is the true story of Blackwell Island (now called Roosevelt Island) in New York's East River.  It was home to a lunatic asylum, prison, almshouse, and hospitals.  What was meant to be an improvement on all others ended up being just as bad or worse.  It was hard to read at times simply due to the horror and sadness at what people endured.  Mr. Horn does an excellent job of bringing this forgotten part of history to life. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

Read Herring Hunt by VM Burns is the second book in the Mystery Bookshop Mysteries series.  Sam's mystery bookshop is off to a wonderful start.  Dawson, her renter and head baker, is having a great season with the college football team.  All is not well though.  When his ex-girlfriend is found murdered, he is the only suspect.  Sam and her band of senior sleuths set out to prove his innocence.  Like the first book this one has a secondary mystery in the form of Sam's English themed mystery novel.  I enjoy the story within a story, but it may not be for everyone.  I enjoyed the parallel mystery and the way the characters mesh together.  This book is just as solid as the first and can easily be read on its own!

Kirsten Weiss' second book in the Pie Town Mystery series is Bleeding Tarts.  Val's pie shop gets a boost when she is asked to provide pies for the fake ghost town Bar X.  While delivering the pies, a stray bullet blows apart a cherry pie she is carrying, and the town's bartender is soon found dead.  She and her pie crust maker, Charlene, begin an investigation.  It seems they are getting close when Val finds her own life threatened.  Charlene and Val are an unlikely duo that works very well.  The other characters are just as wacky which makes for a fun book.  It is a light, fun read!


I Scream You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson is the first book in the Mystery A-la Mode series.  Tallulah's ice cream shop is struggling so she agrees to take a job providing ice cream for her ex-husband and his new girlfriend.  When the girlfriend is found dead under suspicious circumstances following the party, Tallulah is the prime suspect.  Tallulah is a wonderful cozy mystery heroine, and that fact that she is southern to the core made me like her more.  The book has a nice flow, and the supporting characters add to the charm.  I have added the rest of the series to my reading list!


Linda O Johnston's fourth book in the Barkery & Biscuits Mystery series is Pick and Chews.  When the veterinary office that Carrie works for wants to hire a new vet, her boyfriend suggests two candidates and gets a third in the form of an annoying former colleague, who winds up murdered.  I honestly found myself anxiously waiting for the murder to happen since this character was just awful.  This story had a good flow although I was a bit overwhelmed with unnecessary information at times.  Still I enjoy the idea of the dog bakery and the emphasis on animal rescue. 










disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Frugal Friday

I may put up a garden post later today.  It has rained between 6-7 inches here in the past week.  Today is partly sunny so hopefully I can wade through the weeds to get some photos.  Before that here are my frugal doings for the past week.


~We took Toby to the low cost clinic earlier this week to be fixed which is another reason I have not made it out to the garden.  It was less than half the cost at the veterinarian, and the staff is always wonderful and caring.  He did great and is recuperating at home. 


~We combined two other small errands on the way home from dropping Toby off at the clinic.  Since we were already in the area, it was not out of our way.


~We ate more squash, green beans, and zucchini from the garden. 


~I hung clothes inside to dry for the most part.  I did get a load nearly dry outside before rain moved in yesterday.  I finished them off in the dryer for five minutes.


~I skipped the grocery stores this week.  I need to fix food for a family reunion, but I am cooking from what I have on hand.  I plan to make cookies, jalapeno popper deviled eggs, and rolls.


~I tutored for two hours this week.  It brings in a bit of extra money.


~We watched a free movie on Vudu.  I love that they offer free movies in addition to rentals.  Between Vudu and the Roku channel, we can usually find a movie or two to watch each week.  Combined with our Netflix subscription and Amazon Prime, we do not miss a costly satellite subscription.


Did you have a frugal week?

Meals for Week of June 5

I realize starting my week on a Tuesday is strange, but this is my errand day so it helps to start then.  We did a big grocery shop on Tuesday, and I spent $90 (or really close to it).  W was a bit panicked since we rarely spent this much at once.  I reminded him that it was the bulk of our purchases for the entire month.  I still have $48 in my grocery budget.  This includes some money left from last month.


Here is what we ate this past week:


Tuesday, June 5
Dinner (aka Lunch):  chicken sandwiches on homemade buns and chips
Supper:  Omelets (eggs from our chickens, veggies from the garden and refrigerator)


Wednesday, June 6
Dinner:  I honestly cannot remember
Supper: Dressed up frozen pizza (we added some items from the fridge to a cheese pizza)


Thursday, June 7
Dinner:  Ham Sandwiches and chips
Supper:  Banana Sandwiches and chips


Friday, June 8
Dinner:  Baked chicken legs, roasted veggies from the garden (green beans, potatoes, squash), and cucumber salad
Supper:  Sandwiches (used up extra ham and banana)


Saturday, June 9
Dinner:  Leftover chicken and roasted veggies with macaroni and cheese and tomatoes
Supper:  Boiled corn and tomatoes


Sunday, June 10
Dinner:  Ate with my parents - I provided dessert:  frozen yogurt
Supper:  W had cereal, and I had a snack plate of cheese, pepperoni, crackers, and cucumber


Monday, June 11
Dinner:  Sandwiches:  Pineapple for me and Tomato for W
Supper: Deer steak and roasted vegetables (potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, green beans, and eggplant) plus cucumber salad for me


This time of year our menu tends to be heavy on sandwiches and vegetables.  Sandwiches are easy and lighter when it is hot.  Vegetables are on the menu since we eat what is ready from the garden. 

Weekly Goals Update: Week 23

1.  Disaster Preparedness
Week 23 brought the focus back to security.  Our home is secure enough although I secretly want storm shutters.  I just think they would be a nice addition after last year's hurricane. 


2.  Makeover the Garden
Now that the main areas of the garden are planted, I turned the focus to a reading area for me.  I want to get a nicer chair for sitting.  I did add in some plant stands and pots with either flowers or flower seeds.  I am also starting on a butterfly area.  I am still in the planning stage on this for the most part.  I expect it will take a couple of years to get it all done like I want it.


3.  Organize Recipes
I spent a good hour working on cleaning up my Pinterest recipe boards.  I deleted a bunch that either did not think I would ever cook.  I moved some favorites and deleted some that were not hits.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
This past week was our big monthly grocery shopping trip.  I am planning to skip the grocery shopping this week.  The garden is starting to produce more so more of our meals are focused on what we picked that day.


5.  Focus on Saving
I did all of our shopping at a grocery store that is somewhat similar to Aldi. Oh how I wish we had one of those here.  I am making the best of what we have.  Most of my saving is our focus on eating out of the garden.  My meal plan will easily stretch the extra 10 days into July.  I do have two family reunions this month.  My goal is to use what I have on hand to contribute food items.


6.  Etsy Store
I am planning to open the stationery side this week.  I am working on crochet items to stock part two of my store.  I know it will be slightly easier once I have all of the items listed.  That can be a bit time consuming, but I am working to get them right (as much as possible) the first time.

Weekend Book Review: Down the Aisle with Murder

Down the Aisle with Murder by Auralee Wallace is the fifth book in the Otter Lake Mystery series.  Erica and the members of Otter Lake Security are at the strangest bachelorette party being thrown by the bride's strange maid of honor.  When the maid of honor is found murdered, Erica and her security partners, Freddie and Rhonda, must solve the mystery and save the wedding. This book stands on its own but it will make you want to read the previous books.  The author does an excellent job mixing humor into the story.  The characters are quirky and wonderful.  I love how they play off each other and how it all works to create a terrific book!

disclosure:  I received this book from St. Martin's Press, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

The Marmalade Murders by Elizabeth J Duncan is the ninth book in the Penny Brannigan Mystery series.  Penny is asked to help out with the annual agricultural show by checking in cakes, jams, marmalades, flowers, vegetables, etc for the contest judging.  Things seem suspicious when two items she checked in are no where to be found and one item she did not check in wins first place.  When the first place winner is found dead, Penny puts herself in the middle of the mystery which includes investigating the Women's Guild.  This book has several things going on at once, but they all come together in the end.


Pat Olski's Dishcloths to Crochet features 25 dishcloth patterns ranging from a bumblebee to a watermelon.  The range of patterns is sure to provide something for everyone.  The instructions are clear and written well enough for a moderate beginner like myself to follow.  Each pattern features information about the finished size, yarn used, and gauge.  The strawberry dishcloth is my favorite with the pansy coming in a close second.  I can see myself using the pattern book as my crochet skills grow.

Expiration Date by Devon Delaney is the first book in the Cook-off Mystery series.  Sherry has entered a cooking competition sponsored by an organic food company with a prize of $10,000.  When one of the judges dies immediately after eating her entry, Sherry feels she must find the true murderer to save her reputation and herself from jail.  I am hoping future books will go a bit more in-depth with the characters.  The story moves along quickly and is a good start to a series. 


Jane K Cleland's twelfth book in the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series is Antique Blues.  Josie's friend Mo asks her to appraise a Japanese woodblock print.  Josie's excitement is squelched when Mo is murdered.  Josie is determined to get justice for Mo by finding the murderer.  I had a bit more trouble getting into this book since I had not read any of the previous books.  Josie is a strong lead character, and the mystery had plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing.  I also enjoyed all of the information on antiques and the appraisal process. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!