Review: Cold Threat by Nancy Mehl

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Twenty years ago, several people were murdered in Des Moines, and the only evidence left behind was a snowman ornament hanging on a tree on their front lawns. With a suspect behind bars, the killings have come to an end--or so everyone thought. But now crimes with a similar MO are happening in a small Iowa town, and a local detective believes the killer is back and ready to strike again.

With little time on the clock before they have another murder on their hands, private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair must work alongside Tony's father to find evidence that will uncover an evil that has survived for far too long. As the danger mounts and the suspect closes in, it will take all they have to catch a killer--before he catches one of them.

Kritters Thoughts:  The second in a series and before I proceed, I absolutely suggest starting with book one in this series as there is a lot of character development for River and Tony in book one that is necessary to understand the happenings in book two.  

For book two, I was so glad I read it during the cold month of January and highly suggest reading it now OR holding it for next year during the holiday season as it had perfect wintry vibes.  River and Tony head to his parent's house to help his dad who is still in law enforcement with a serial killer that has moved from Des Moines to Burlington and at the beginning there seems to be no ties from one victim to another.  

Another book by Nancy Mehl where the pacing was just so spot on.  The way the author drops the hints and the action were just so good.  Right when I thought it would pause something is thrown our way and I was honestly gasping out loud on an airplane!  Although there was one moment where I predicted something, but it was still satisfying to be right and to see the story go there (sorry vague, can't spoil!)

As I stated yesterday, this book also had strong Christian fiction themes running throughout the book.  It fit with the character of River and Tony, but even still for me it was distracting from the mystery.  The mystery is still good and I will read the next one, but just needed to share.  

I am excited that we don't have to wait too long for book three to arrive,  as it will be here this summer!

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Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case that went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair. They're soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son who disappeared four years ago. River knows there's almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be.

But as they follow the boy's trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way. With a killer on the loose set on finishing the job he started, will River be pulled back into her tormented past or finally face the demons that haunt her?

Kritters Thoughts:  The first in a series where two former FBI agents leave after a horrific tragedy, move to St. Louis to be near River's mother, and decide to put their skills in a new space as private investigators.  Their first case together happens when a mother approaches them to ask for help in solving the case of her son who has been missing for a long time and she just wants closure as to what happened.  River and Tony take this on with the hope of finding something and starting their new company on the right track.  

I like to make folks aware of elements of books without spoiling, so you can make a decision on if this book would be right for you.  This book and the second that I will be reviewing tomorrow both have heavy elements of Christianity woven in the story.  While this is a mystery, I would personally shelve this book in the Christian fiction book as it is strong in its language about that faith.  

Now for the mystery itself, it is self-contained in this book and the mystery is resolved, but as I know how book two starts, I for sure would recommend starting at book one as there are a lot of character developments and plot points that are needed from book one to book two.  I loved that this mystery had depth and layers so it took a bit for all the pieces to be put into place and while it took me awhile to figure it all out, I don't feel as though it came out of left field.  AND the pacing - spot on.  I love when a mystery book really gets sprinting towards the end and you just can't put it down - such was the case for this one!   

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Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Recipe Review: Boursin pasta

It's winter and I am craving the pasta dishes, so two weeks in a row with trying pasta dishes.  This dish reminded me of one of those dishes that went viral over the pandemic, but maybe its the adult version using Boursin cheese.  

Nice and simple, Boursin, tomatoes, spices and pasta.  I chose to get some thin spaghetti wanting to try that with this and a future pasta dish!  

I would absolutely make this one again, BUT next time I want to add a meat either some italian sausage and/or some seasoned chicken.  I will try this one again with a few additions.  

Review: Diva by Daisy Goodwin

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic, and striking beauty, she was the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. But her fame was hard won: Raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends.

When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life, she believed she’d found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. He introduced her to a life of unbelievable luxury, showering her with jewels and sojourns in the most fashionable international watering holes with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.

Kritters Thoughts:  A historical fiction book about someone I had never heard of and while this book didn't completely work for me, I am glad I read it and glad to know more about Maria Callas.  

For me, this book didn't get going until at least 50% in and from there I was hooked, but it felt like it took a bit to get there.  Some of the beginning was worth reading to establish how much of a diva Maria was, but for me it felt as though there was more than enough to get that memo!  

When Maria meets Aristotle Onassis, that is when the book begins and you see her drop the diva attitude with him and it was so interesting to watch her give up all of what she had created for a man.  This part of the book made me want to read more about both her relationship with Onassis, but Jackie's as well.  I also had to look her up and watch some of the videos of her performing and seeing her in all of her glory in her space.  

I am a fan of this author and have enjoyed her other books and will still read her future books, but sure hope for the plot to get going a little faster in the next one.  

Rating:

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 352

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  When a key witness goes missing, Quinn and Costa must find her before a killer silences her for good…

Detective Kara Quinn is back in Los Angeles to testify against a notorious human trafficker, finally moving past the case that upended her life. But when the accused is shot by a masked man in broad daylight, the chaotic scene of the crime turns up few reliable bystanders. And one witness—a whistleblower who might be the key to everything—has disappeared.

After the prosecuting DDA is stabbed to death, it’s clear that anyone who knows too much about the investigation is in danger, and tracking down the witness becomes a matter of life or death. With government corruption running rampant and someone on the inside trying to pin anything they can on Kara, she trusts nobody except FBI special agent Matt Costa and a handful of allies.

But when explosive secrets begin to surface within the LAPD and FBI, Kara questions everything she thought she knew about the case, her colleagues and the life she left behind months ago.

Now Quinn and Costa must race to find the missing witness and get to the bottom of the avalanche of conspiracies that has rocked LA to its core…before it's too late.

Kritters Thoughts:  Another story with Detective Kara Quinn at the center, but this one felt different, she is back on her home turf in Los Angeles, CA and what starts as a normal visit with her testifying in the case that made her leave the city.  But of course, nothing is normal and things go down hill very quickly with murder, shady cops and a whole lot of investigating.  

Before I go further as I said yesterday with the previous book in this series, I really suggest the reader starting at book one in this series as the character development from book to book is important and it helps to know where Kara Quinn has been before you go into this one.  

This book felt different from the others, but that was a problem for me, the only thing was the HUGE cast of characters to keep straight.  From LAPD to FBI to non police officers, this book had such a huge cast and it took a lot of concentration to keep everyone straight.  AND of course some are the culprit, so having to keep my eye on them made for some slower reading, but that was not because of the pace.  The pacing in this book was fantastic, while I may have personally slowed down so I could gather all of the evidence, Allison Brennan keeps the plot moving and from one bomb shell to another, this book kept going and going!   

I wonder if this is the last of the Kara Quinn series, I wouldn't mind more and see where she goes after this one concluded.  

Rating:

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Seven Girls Gone by Allison Brennan

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 352

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  For three years, women have been disappearing—and eventually turning up dead in the small bayou town of St. Augustine, Louisiana. Police detective Beau Hebert is the only one who seems to care, but with every witness quickly silenced and a corrupt police department set on keeping the cases unsolved, Beau’s investigation stalls at every turn.

With nobody else to trust, Beau calls in a favor from his friend on the FBI’s Mobile Response Team. While LAPD detective Kara Quinn works undercover to dig into the women’s murders and team leader Matt Costa officially investigates the in-custody death of a witness, Beau might finally have a chance at solving the case.

But in a town where everyone knows everyone, talking gets you killed and secrets stay buried, it’s going to take the entire team working around the clock to unravel the truth. Especially when they discover that the deep-seated corruption and the deadly drug-trafficking ring at the center of it all extends far beyond the small-town borders.

Kritters Thoughts:  An absolute Allison Brennan fan, I was excited to catch up on this series and read this one and the one following in quick order.  And before I dive in, this is one of those mystery series where the mystery is contained in each book, but the main characters have development from book to book, so I recommend going back to book one and start at the beginning.

Kara Quinn and team are called to Louisiana where there has been a string of young ladies murdered, but it seems as though the local police aren't prioritizing solving these murders anytime soon.  At the beginning of this book, I felt like I was thrown in and maybe missed something, but this feeling ended when Kara and team show up and it almost feels like Detective Beau Herbert goes back to the beginning to get the team caught up and also the reader!  

For some reason Allison Brennan is able to twist and weave a few mysteries all at the same time and while it could feel like too much, because they interplay so much, it is just right!  This had a lot of victims and a few culprits, so took a bit to get all the players straight, but it was worth reading slow at the beginning to enjoy the fast pace as all the puzzle pieces came together in the end.    

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Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Recipe Review: Creamy Pasta

By the end of this year, I am hoping to become an expert when it comes to make a roux, but today isn't that day!  I was excited when I saw a YouTuber that I follow make this recipe recently it was a pasta with a creamy sauce but no roux in sight.  The original recipe puts peas in and I am not a fan of peas, so I went with asparagus that I cooked in my air fryer. 

And when making this recipe I was trying a trick I had seen, cooking bacon in a pot, wanting to see if that would contain the bacon grease mess - hint it did not.  Still puckered all over the place!  AND my first batch burned in the blink of the eye, so glad I had only done half and had another half to try.  The second batch worked, but still looking for a better way to bacon.  

Fresh bacon made this recipe so much better, I use the "real bacon bits" on salads and potatoes, but I for sure recommend going with real fresh bacon for this one.  

I want to make this recipe again, but instead of parmesan cheese try something else - maybe a cheddar.  The sauce consistency was great and I loved the asparagus and bacon, but want to try out another cheese. 
          

Review: City Under One Roof by Irish Yamashita

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 304

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel.

After a blizzard causes the tunnel to close indefinitely, Cara is stuck among the odd and suspicious residents of the town—all 205 of whom live in the same high-rise building and are as icy as the weather. Cara teams up with Point Mettier police officer Joe Barkowski, but before long the investigation is upended by fearsome gang members from a nearby native village.

Haunted by her past, Cara soon discovers that everyone in this town has something to hide. Will she be able to unravel their secrets before she unravels?"

Kritters Thoughts:  A perfect read during the winter season, was Cara Kennedy a police investigator from Anchorage, Alaska, who gets stranded in this small remote town in Alaska where the population drops to around 200 during the winter season and most everything in this city is under one roof - hence the title!  

Cara Kennedy is a great police investigator to follow through this mystery as this small town is plagued by body parts being found and she must first found out who is murdered AND then find out who and why.  I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, it felt as though there was more mystery than in other books as you don't even know WHO has been murdered!  

The other part of the book that I really enjoyed was the claustrophobic feeling of being stuck - everyone is stuck due to an avalanche and the only way in and out is blocked and this feeling heightened the book as you could almost guarantee that the killer and all of the problems were still in the city.  

I knew when starting this book that there was a book 2, so I was even more excited when I enjoyed investigating with Cara's point of view and would get another opportunity to watch her solve something.  I hope to read the second one this winter as it is located in the state of Alaska.      

Rating:

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Recipe Review: Blue Cheese steak sauce

Over the last year, I have perfected the air fryer steak situation, so that wasn't my new recipe for 2024.  AND I have been blessed with a fantastic Durham family steak marinade that is just right to give flavor but not over power the steak and this wasn't new to me at all.  My grandfather was very proud of his marinade making it into the recipe book for his church AND it included bourbon.  I always put the bourbon in to honor Max Durham!  

Adding a blue cheese steak sauce was new to me.  I have had a blue cheese steak sauce out at a restaurant but wanted to see if I could do this at home.  I loved that two of the ingredients from the sauce were also in the marinade, so I felt as though this would line up well - Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.  The sauce was nice and easy to make while the steak was doing its thing in the air fryer.  This will be a recipe that will absolutely be repeated.    

Review: Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody

Rabbit Hole
by Kate Brody

Publisher: Soho Crime

Pages: 374

Format: audiobook and ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Ten years ago, Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing. Her case remains unsolved. Now Teddy’s father, Mark, has killed himself. Unbeknownst to Mark’s family, he had been active in a Reddit community fixated on Angie, and Teddy can’t help but fall down the same rabbit hole.

Teddy’s investigation quickly gets her in hot water with her gun-nut boyfriend, her long-lost half brother, and her colleagues at the prestigious high school where she teaches English. Further complicating matters is Teddy’s growing obsession with Mickey, a charming amateur sleuth who is eerily keen on helping her solve the case.

Bewitched by Mickey, Teddy begins to lose her moral compass. As she struggles to reconcile new information with old memories, her erratic behavior reaches a fever pitch, but she won’t stop until she finds Angie—or destroys herself in the process.

Kritters Thoughts:  My first book of 2024 and while I for sure finished it, it was just an ok book from my point of view.  A book that could be described as much more character driven then plot and had a very slow roll.  I have found over my years of reading that I tend to lean and enjoy those books where the characters are great, but there is definitely some plot movement with great pacing.  

Teddy Angstrom's father has committed suicide and this is the second mystery that she is trying to solve.  The first is the ten-year-old mystery of her older sister's disappearance.  Teddy wonders if the two are related and why her father has chosen now to end his life.  She heads to reddit, the chat boards, and old school sleuthing to try to gather the clues to solve it all.  

For me, when I read the synopsis I felt as though the book was leaning towards the real mystery of it all and while that is the heart of the story, this book is more literary fiction and coming of age as Teddy is really trying to find herself without two of her family members in her life.  

The book was very raw and real, and to warn the sensitive readers, this one had some scenes that while appropriate for the book, could make you blush.  I personally don't have someone that I would recommend this book to, but I hope with describing it this way, a reader could find it for themselves.    

As for the audiobook, the narrator was great, it felt as though Teddy herself was telling her story and I enjoyed listening to the story.  I did have the ebook version and was glad to read in that medium also, and especially enjoyed the reddit parts in "print" was it was easier to follow the flow of the chat.  

Audiobook 2024 Challenge:  1 out of 24

Rating: 

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Recipe Review - Roasted Rack of Lamb

For 2024, I have a goal to try out new recipes (hopefully 52, one a week), diversify what I can cook, and maybe even pick up a few new skills and/or gadgets in the kitchen.  I started the new year with a recipe that had been on my to do list for a bit - Roasted Rack of Lamb.  

I put the marinade together which was super easy in a cuisinart and it was entertaining to be handling garlic while sipping my morning coffee, so this could marinade during the day.  

The one thing I didn't follow on the instructions was moving the rack in the oven and I think this prevented a good crisp on the lamb, so while I was able to get it to the right temperature, it just seemed bland.  I would love to redo and make this one change.

NOW.  I had some leftovers.  And I had a blast making a homemade tzatziki sauce and using the lamb to make a sort of gyro platter with hummus, naan, and arugula.  SO while the original recipe didn't quite work out, the leftovers were perfection!

     

2024 Recipe #1

Review: Being Henry by Henry Winkler

Being Henry

by Henry Winkler

Publisher: Celadon Books

Pages: 256

Format: audiobook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Henry Winkler, launched into prominence by his role as “The Fonz” in the beloved Happy Days, has transcended the role that made him who he is. Brilliant, funny, and widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood (though he would be the first to tell you that it’s simply not the case, he’s really just grateful to be here), Henry shares in this achingly vulnerable memoir the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia, the pressures of a role that takes on a life of its own, and the path forward once your wildest dream seems behind you.

Since the glorious era of Happy Days fame, Henry has endeared himself to a new generation with roles in such adored shows as Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, and Barry, where he’s revealed himself as an actor with immense depth and pathos, a departure from the period of his life when he was so distinctly typecast as The Fonz, he could hardly find work.

Kritters Thoughts:  An audiobook that I finished the end of 2023 and one that I loved.  

The first words that come to mind for most readers when you hear the name Henry Winkler are . . . THE FONZ!  Known for a character he played in his late 20s, Henry Winkler has spent many years trying to play characters that were not The Fonz.  Recounting the fun days of Happy Days and the trying time after where his professional life was many ups and downs and a lot of anxiety.  

While I may not have watched Happy Days, I can remember watching a few episodes with my parents and loving the Grease like air of the show.  I fell in love with Henry Winkler while reading this book.  I loved his recounting of those Happy Days, but I loved more his behind the scenes stories of all of the sets and projects he worked on.  And even more than that I loved hearing about his love story and his friendships that were made in and out of the Hollywood life.  

After reading this book, I was encouraged to go look up other celebrity memoirs and listen to them in 2024 as I do housework, walk the dogs, and spend time in my garden! 

Rating:

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

2024 Personal Goals

While this blog has been traditionally a book blog, I would like to include other happenings from my life this year - dogs, gardening, house projects, and Peloton workouts.  I have a few goals that I would like to work towards in 2024 and here are the ones that I am going to share here:

1. Enjoying my kitchen.  I love my house and my kitchen is such a fun space.  I was a girl who makes a lot of similar things at home and I want 2024 to be the year where I branch out.  I love trying things in a restaurant, but I want to bring that energy into my kitchen.  My goal is to try a new recipe once a week, whether that is a main, a side or a cocktail.  I would love to have a few new things that I can make for myself and others.  

2. In 2022 and 2023, I distanced myself from my Peloton and workouts and instead got my fitness done in other ways.  I want to return to spinning, yoga, and pilates and take that time for myself.  I don't have a measurable goal here, I just want to do more of this in 2024.  

3. My garden!  I have spent the last year creating a new backyard garden and I can't wait to spend time out there planting, nurturing, harvesting, and maybe killing a few pests!  There isn't a goal here, but more a place where I want to spend time and my hope is that this goal will "feed" into my first goal and something I grow will inspire me to cook something different or interesting.  

I already have tomatoes from last year's harvest and making homemade pasta sauce is on my early to do list!    

Beyond this list, I promise there will be some dog photos this year.  I have two sweet pups who bring me joy and I love spending time with them in our home and on walks around our neighborhood.  

2024 Reading Goals

For this year, I am going to do a post on reading goals and another one on life goals, I want to share those here as I may spend some time on my blog "rambling" about them and I am excited to share more about what is going on besides my reading life here on the blog!  

Ok now for the Reading Goals of 2024!

1. I want to read a minimum of 124 books.  I read 49 books in 2023 and I am hoping with fewer house projects and a quieter year that more quiet time with a book will happen.   

2. As in last year, I want to focus on my Netgalley percentage.  Thankfully it stayed the same in 2023, I was graciously given access to a lot of books, but I was able to read and review enough to keep the percentage the same, I would like it to increase in 2024.  Not setting a specific number just an increase from 20% would be great! 

3.   With more books clearly in my plan, I would like to embark on more audiobooks this year.  I expect some time in the garden and some time walking dogs which are some of my favorite things, so if I can bring reading to those activities, I would be a happy lady in 2024.  I will be keeping track of this in 2024, with a hope of 2 books per month.    

First Book of 2024!

I am beyond excited for 2024 and ready for a new year with new goals and to start a new year of reading!  I want 2024 to be the year where I spend a lot of time curled up with a book in one way or another - physical book, ebook, and audiobook.  So for my first book of 2024, I am going to read a book that I have from Netgalley in both ebook and audiobook form, to encourage me to read in multiple formats to try to get the most amount of reading out of a day! 

Goodreads:  Ten years ago, Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing. Her case remains unsolved. Now Teddy’s father, Mark, has killed himself. Unbeknownst to Mark’s family, he had been active in a Reddit community fixated on Angie, and Teddy can’t help but fall down the same rabbit hole.

Teddy’s investigation quickly gets her in hot water with her gun-nut boyfriend, her long-lost half brother, and her colleagues at the prestigious high school where she teaches English. Further complicating matters is Teddy’s growing obsession with Mickey, a charming amateur sleuth who is eerily keen on helping her solve the case.

Bewitched by Mickey, Teddy begins to lose her moral compass. As she struggles to reconcile new information with old memories, her erratic behavior reaches a fever pitch, but she won’t stop until she finds Angie—or destroys herself in the process.

Happy New Year and New Blog!

As a new year begins, I am starting 2024 with a new blog redesign and am excited to change the way I do things here.  I am still pondering what all I want to do, but I can guarantee - I want this to be a place where I share the things I love and ramble about all the things that make me smile.  

You will see I have switched out my rating system, I am now using stars and using the normal star rating that is typical in most places of 5 stars.  No halfsies here, so decisions will need to be made!