tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27761238650940754452024-03-13T12:22:39.898-04:00Kritters RamblingsKritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.comBlogger3463125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-54854522234860655452024-03-03T08:00:00.040-05:002024-03-03T12:05:56.323-05:00Recipe Review: Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken<span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyKjJUfbS7HYfDosHHNZO3welqrmjxLXMl1_BRPE0qjv21VWRQjqziKGFnX5-Ce3QKv5v4rdtJ-0LF5t4AHfwi1TkrebADLzMykVFqIj5qZXU6BZdGgrUMCJdLnm-lK3Ix8V3h88Zs8CrXhrN64SfGMn8OUjiSMNfXMR4CU7pVPq5yPa0s6T2q3zVPUc/s4032/IMG_3438.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyKjJUfbS7HYfDosHHNZO3welqrmjxLXMl1_BRPE0qjv21VWRQjqziKGFnX5-Ce3QKv5v4rdtJ-0LF5t4AHfwi1TkrebADLzMykVFqIj5qZXU6BZdGgrUMCJdLnm-lK3Ix8V3h88Zs8CrXhrN64SfGMn8OUjiSMNfXMR4CU7pVPq5yPa0s6T2q3zVPUc/w150-h200/IMG_3438.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>For recipes for March, I accidentally purchased too much chicken, so March will be the month of chicken! The first recipe I tried, was my first foray into dredging and pan-frying chicken. While the meal itself was a hit, I want to try a different technique than what was in this recipe for pan-frying chicken the next time; using no egg and just dry ingredients was interesting, but when I make a recipe I stick to the instructions the first time around! </div></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I made this meal on a weekend when I had my favorite handyman - my dad at my house to make some fantastic custom closets. It was such a joy to be able to feed him while he was making three closets of my dreams! AND thank goodness it tasted way better than it photographed! It even reheated well as leftovers. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I then made the meal during the work week for just myself and tried the pan fry again and tried to see if it would maybe photograph better! This is a recipe that I can now keep in my back pocket, minus the need to have mushrooms and heavy cream on hand which I don't always have. </span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-334994208029279382024-03-01T07:00:00.028-05:002024-03-03T12:19:50.117-05:00February<div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJPo50ooCzOoOznNL0XiMKo3bi3G0wOhEcoBvxk6TWjF7SDNpSYdx5Z5M1XMyt8_zNj0P7_dKbo6ns8ookNrPgtOtdKd6gwevIF_sO2WxuhxHnTobK7XzPCxZM-kRe23OOTpS4-5dUZI_JPPpiOlqSxIrNiqRFJU1gI7BPn5GmioxE6vPds5S30fXyO4/s792/Screenshot%202023-12-13%20at%2010.15.13%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="792" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJPo50ooCzOoOznNL0XiMKo3bi3G0wOhEcoBvxk6TWjF7SDNpSYdx5Z5M1XMyt8_zNj0P7_dKbo6ns8ookNrPgtOtdKd6gwevIF_sO2WxuhxHnTobK7XzPCxZM-kRe23OOTpS4-5dUZI_JPPpiOlqSxIrNiqRFJU1gI7BPn5GmioxE6vPds5S30fXyO4/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-13%20at%2010.15.13%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=february&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi6vZ-L-o2DAxVoGFkFHRZvAOgQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=february&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzINCAAQgAQQigUQQxCxAzIQCAAQgAQQigUQQxCxAxCDATIICAAQgAQQsQMyBQgAEIAEMgoIABCABBCKBRBDMggIABCABBCxAzIKCAAQgAQQigUQQzIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDoECCMQJzoOCAAQgAQQigUQsQMQgwE6BAgAEANQyQNYjwpgqwtoAHAAeACAAV6IAa8FkgEBOZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=OXJ6Zfq8Buiw5NoPlt6BwA4&bih=673&biw=1440#imgrc=6dxDMU1UL6bJHM">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A month where life went a little off course, but for good reasons. My reading and workouts went off from the goals I set for this year, BUT I have not one but two brand new custom closets built by my dad and I, and the designing and building were the best experiences. SO things can take a turn and then the first of March, new goals can be set! </span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />1. The Opera Sisters by Marianne Monson</span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2. Trailed by Kathryn Miles </span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3. Data Baby by Susannah Breslin</span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4. The Presence of Absence by Simon Van Booy</span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Total pages read, clicked and flipped: 1,080</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></span><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where Have I Been Reading?:</b></span></span><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Appalachian Trail, VA</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">California </b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-45571874476303805742024-02-25T08:00:00.008-05:002024-02-25T08:00:00.132-05:00Recipe Review: Homemade Pasta Sauce<span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAOeD8sghvsv2tPscerr5c7kwsZBU_iSU4_D5vpL9NGWoTH2XH-8g0HCDLIx0_CA5e7CovmfaaFiWGrvuBAqcEo-Dk6EU9qZjPfoyp_wH2BOHtlkwM9SC8BMN4v4wjRc3RUpG6kyTIQRNZMtheGMrSU47Vmb2rMA-XeXurQSM5TyrS-8RXzcrlU3zF7o/s4032/IMG_3257.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAOeD8sghvsv2tPscerr5c7kwsZBU_iSU4_D5vpL9NGWoTH2XH-8g0HCDLIx0_CA5e7CovmfaaFiWGrvuBAqcEo-Dk6EU9qZjPfoyp_wH2BOHtlkwM9SC8BMN4v4wjRc3RUpG6kyTIQRNZMtheGMrSU47Vmb2rMA-XeXurQSM5TyrS-8RXzcrlU3zF7o/w150-h200/IMG_3257.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Three weeks in a row with pasta, BUT this one is extra special. One reason is because my nephew Jacob was here to help make and taste test. AND second because the pasta sauce was made from tomatoes that I grew in my garden last year and froze. </span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">My hope is that this is the first of many recipes that includes things from my garden and with four garden beds and a few grow bags, my 2024 garden should be bountiful. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEGs-Pf7MKjrpk2ZS48NCjZnXeI59LoJoUTJwEaZpUCZRA5eVYJj9RtxfJ_hIbRlashx38cZCBUO0TDj5Y5uKHqameeS88EGbLaJRz-O9EQk4WhvBr-XDeppF8qdkuWiAgeMPsPBoWSDn4qLKVndtlBpiElaG4PEr93LHByHynESq0th-sR77lT2SvOc/s4032/IMG_3260.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEGs-Pf7MKjrpk2ZS48NCjZnXeI59LoJoUTJwEaZpUCZRA5eVYJj9RtxfJ_hIbRlashx38cZCBUO0TDj5Y5uKHqameeS88EGbLaJRz-O9EQk4WhvBr-XDeppF8qdkuWiAgeMPsPBoWSDn4qLKVndtlBpiElaG4PEr93LHByHynESq0th-sR77lT2SvOc/w150-h200/IMG_3260.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Now to the recipe. I had low expectations as I am quite opinionated on pasta sauce, but this one quickly went into the notebook to use over and over again. With the aid of my immersion blender (first-time use!) my tomatoes were easily thinned out and adding minimal seasoning, the tomatoes were the star of the show which made me even happier that they were fresh from the garden because are always 10 times better than store-bought. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqkUxOeYMkR-Lx7JH5mGhWncTgF17QSB1NxAcuK5qpvdz5B4ANmRxDFUYGMFuOeD6fNvhyphenhyphenekyO_2kkQBSSAM0yaxer4i7eoc736mmPAnh6ZW655_PunjcSbVPWmg4EGS4R-Eq6YVrK1wKKWXsrPeuh7gT2CWLeePdCt8P4RGh3zphfDglVoICyHFEeDI/s4032/IMG_3262.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqkUxOeYMkR-Lx7JH5mGhWncTgF17QSB1NxAcuK5qpvdz5B4ANmRxDFUYGMFuOeD6fNvhyphenhyphenekyO_2kkQBSSAM0yaxer4i7eoc736mmPAnh6ZW655_PunjcSbVPWmg4EGS4R-Eq6YVrK1wKKWXsrPeuh7gT2CWLeePdCt8P4RGh3zphfDglVoICyHFEeDI/w150-h200/IMG_3262.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Jacob chose penne pasta and we added some meatballs and this was a great dish for a rainy weekend. </span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-29236027338700701542024-02-18T08:00:00.028-05:002024-02-18T08:00:00.243-05:00Recipe Review: Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Soup<span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFKn9j9FKHm0Cx9A1Xo8Ife1O4KpfMVOX_SRN42ek3fAiriGOYpzdQlrfSpaeWfypBkliM_TR3hBk5ADpGDkR8yJ5syX9O4N3Vby8I7PuGbBGaE-_zf8OgeeXx3fmLuGnMu-3u_cJwJR-g5GLZj8y4bzNW2vIZFdBqaqUeLSKd985h8l-qqxT9IHamNw/s4032/IMG_3380.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFKn9j9FKHm0Cx9A1Xo8Ife1O4KpfMVOX_SRN42ek3fAiriGOYpzdQlrfSpaeWfypBkliM_TR3hBk5ADpGDkR8yJ5syX9O4N3Vby8I7PuGbBGaE-_zf8OgeeXx3fmLuGnMu-3u_cJwJR-g5GLZj8y4bzNW2vIZFdBqaqUeLSKd985h8l-qqxT9IHamNw/w150-h200/IMG_3380.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div>Slow cookers always make me think of wintertime meals and I was excited to try this recipe knowing from the beginning that it could freeze, so I could eat what is made and stow the leftovers for another time. </span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLPnZSF6MUN_6Zijh_VRfhG6iZ4_AfWl4wL88YV5JgCETANQoQB3m0En_xsz-0_cHv4CVY8yz7uvyiGf27BC9BXvdTfuaQD1ELhsmvxCmXSGM2EwiMxP4vPftheXo7Zotao8w0VOCApVQLBd-_j8JSrzrk3ZpRwBNgAebt9eyJp1-L2LVHGBL7bWKtB8/s4032/IMG_3382.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLPnZSF6MUN_6Zijh_VRfhG6iZ4_AfWl4wL88YV5JgCETANQoQB3m0En_xsz-0_cHv4CVY8yz7uvyiGf27BC9BXvdTfuaQD1ELhsmvxCmXSGM2EwiMxP4vPftheXo7Zotao8w0VOCApVQLBd-_j8JSrzrk3ZpRwBNgAebt9eyJp1-L2LVHGBL7bWKtB8/w150-h200/IMG_3382.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>I had heard of marry me chicken (and had it, very good!), so I was sort of intrigued by crack chicken. A super easy recipe like most crock pot recipes are - put ingredients in turn on. BUT mid way through, you pull the chicken out and need to shred and one of my most favorite kitchen hacks (thanks to Instagram!) is to place chicken or chunks of beef in your stand mixer and its shredded in mear seconds or minutes. </span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Once your chicken is shredded put back in crockpot and then add the last few ingredients, 10 minutes and serve! I served it as soup with some great garlic bread. AND then the next day I added macaroni noodles to try something different and it was so good! I was able to freeze the remainder in a few sandwich bags and froze laying down for easy storing. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vT1kJPn27z6MFEZg53X1JLusjr7qE629zoRI0zWEPy6JR-x2mXpWSd9DZVdjcOVryo1f67aWaZ4xgbQu0oXTlSN0vyNbmsr0F9FO2tIGo55kwLDJL4biQTVLLjeClAL15J_jrIB7m7NaHo-nd_0WobScYWciJnp4OrokpHQR3caNUNDl5bIEjRKbBGM/s4032/IMG_3385.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vT1kJPn27z6MFEZg53X1JLusjr7qE629zoRI0zWEPy6JR-x2mXpWSd9DZVdjcOVryo1f67aWaZ4xgbQu0oXTlSN0vyNbmsr0F9FO2tIGo55kwLDJL4biQTVLLjeClAL15J_jrIB7m7NaHo-nd_0WobScYWciJnp4OrokpHQR3caNUNDl5bIEjRKbBGM/s320/IMG_3385.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I hope to do this one once a year to eat off for a little bit and then have some in the freezer for later!<br /> </span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-31804907791365812112024-02-15T08:00:00.032-05:002024-02-15T09:52:11.786-05:00Review: Data Baby by Susannah Breslin<div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfUBlh-iDPLFkWvCSdhzwz_r0NllF2MdnVXaLDI30_TyxMYG4_d4JcGE9wKCK3qdqI7rpm8_a81__ytQcMBwsVZGYs4sOEtZviJcLslkrODKSDHRPgH8fYREGfVS24ZSQhmwY4Fh4mZ2kU_OwVF0bNBgcQLR3M7IsWv4PE-MUhlTkEnSrLDXoYeMS8eU/s400/Data%20Baby%20.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfUBlh-iDPLFkWvCSdhzwz_r0NllF2MdnVXaLDI30_TyxMYG4_d4JcGE9wKCK3qdqI7rpm8_a81__ytQcMBwsVZGYs4sOEtZviJcLslkrODKSDHRPgH8fYREGfVS24ZSQhmwY4Fh4mZ2kU_OwVF0bNBgcQLR3M7IsWv4PE-MUhlTkEnSrLDXoYeMS8eU/w133-h200/Data%20Baby%20.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>Publisher: Legacy Lit</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 224</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: book</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3uwPg4m">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">What if your parents turned you into a human lab rat on the day you were born? Would that change the story of your life? Would that change who you are?</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">When Susannah Breslin is a toddler, her parents enroll her in an exclusive laboratory preschool at the University of California, Berkeley, where she becomes one of 128 children who are research subjects in an unprecedented 30-year psychological experiment that predicts who she and her cohort will grow up to be. Decades later, trapped in an abusive marriage to a man with a violent history and battling breast cancer, she starts to wonder how growing up under a microscope shaped the person she became and her life choices. Is she the narrator of the story of her life—or is something else? Already a successful journalist, whose published work has appeared in </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Forbes</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">The Atlantic</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Harper’s Bazaar</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">, she decides to make her own curious history the subject of her next investigation and embarks on a life-changing journey that will expose the dark secrets hidden behind the renowned longitudinal study of personality development that she grew up believing knew her better than she knew herself.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Kritters Thoughts: Susannah Breslin grew up in California and with two very academic professors as parents, they enrolled her into this long-term research project where her and her life were observed and theories were made based on her reaction to tests and to life itself. Essentially Susannah and many of her peers across the country were lab rats and their response to various tests were used to make predictions on what kind of adults they would become and the life they would end up with. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Maybe spoiling it a bit, the last chapter was it for me. While Susannah was a lab rat, aren't we all now with big tech tracking our every moves through google searches, phone analytics and gps. It made me remind myself that for sure the instagram and facebook ads are targeted and know exactly what I am shopping for or what life issues I need solved (dog hair in laundry!). So maybe in the end we are all being tracked and companies are predicting the life that we want and the products that will best get us there!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">A quick little memoir that really made me think about the quality of research and had me pondering all of those personality tests that affirmed what I was already thinking about myself. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ugz1uiPgRrBZAHXOuca7SqIAU7XldkPVgvdHVJVhKHbQeUYyAVM98IK2venExaubR2crxkT13lsz7pdTGLc6rTIwvuDYCVQvqhUa0bAaw7eTbrMi9OXQyv08K51aM2gnGkqL2zu1fnq3nJLx6d1Ag0HZ3-rKnCLJrv8tNNU1JJVmaQl3909WmpWtVQw/s200/3%20star.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ugz1uiPgRrBZAHXOuca7SqIAU7XldkPVgvdHVJVhKHbQeUYyAVM98IK2venExaubR2crxkT13lsz7pdTGLc6rTIwvuDYCVQvqhUa0bAaw7eTbrMi9OXQyv08K51aM2gnGkqL2zu1fnq3nJLx6d1Ag0HZ3-rKnCLJrv8tNNU1JJVmaQl3909WmpWtVQw/s1600/3%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Legacy Lit. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-27091959895348587742024-02-11T08:00:00.030-05:002024-02-11T08:00:00.129-05:00Recipe Review: DATE night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoWalIZft48Wxygy7qVNkRi3ru9wpd299EHJmVHXasTNsI_oYGry4jq-FlbAv5HyKwoj4spSX1V8J3KYBHgvUhOgpK7SJFjQv8qmn-8tzYvupyepznPxT1e_kp3b82NvKJpBiLWL5zlbZQTF8wgdr4GfuQJUqkwGFDmA7osprrrY1chDzbtrkM0Uyidc/s4032/IMG_3281.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoWalIZft48Wxygy7qVNkRi3ru9wpd299EHJmVHXasTNsI_oYGry4jq-FlbAv5HyKwoj4spSX1V8J3KYBHgvUhOgpK7SJFjQv8qmn-8tzYvupyepznPxT1e_kp3b82NvKJpBiLWL5zlbZQTF8wgdr4GfuQJUqkwGFDmA7osprrrY1chDzbtrkM0Uyidc/w150-h200/IMG_3281.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Last year my parents recommended a fun appetizer, dates with goat cheese wrapped in bacon - YES! I made it a quite a few times last year, but after buying a container of dates, I wanted to see other options and tried out two more. I thought it would be fun to make dates for THE DATE night of the year - Valentine's Day. So whether your person is salty or sweet, DATE night! </span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">All of these were perfect to prep ahead of time and then finish and plate and be ready for your DATE night. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">One of the new ones I tried, was dates with cream cheese, some pistachio kernels, and then a drizzle of honey, SO good! I love cream cheese, its sweet but in my opinion not TOO sweet, so its the perfect stuffing with the plain date and then the sweet addition of honey. Now the pistachios came in a large bag and maybe on the expensive side, so going to see what else I can make with pistachios! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94WPYV4ltfISHxv__uguRuFMvsfVY9AqcgNCUugd1guMLYrMOxOiHFQA9cusOvmmCRsA9TYwbTsFOfUp2R-pHNdWJGTEsDT-oVypGUS6_vbZsZe9G67xf9CaQ1exvaLaTq-XVCtCavgEUwMOYIqstQbdkCqLOdTgvPVmCL3GHQfXPI83OOe0BYzhs6kM/s4032/IMG_3275.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94WPYV4ltfISHxv__uguRuFMvsfVY9AqcgNCUugd1guMLYrMOxOiHFQA9cusOvmmCRsA9TYwbTsFOfUp2R-pHNdWJGTEsDT-oVypGUS6_vbZsZe9G67xf9CaQ1exvaLaTq-XVCtCavgEUwMOYIqstQbdkCqLOdTgvPVmCL3GHQfXPI83OOe0BYzhs6kM/w150-h200/IMG_3275.jpeg" width="150" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">The second date recipe I tried was a bit of a take on a snickers, with peanut butter stuffed inside and then dipped in chocolate melted with coconut oil. This was so easy and so so yummy. I loved that I could make these and stick them in the fridge to enjoy for days. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">So if you need an idea for this week of love, may I suggest one or more DATE recipes for DATE night! </span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-7049514749528091202024-02-09T07:00:00.056-05:002024-02-09T07:00:00.134-05:00Review: The Opera Sisters by Marianne Monson<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik_nvtwkBMStBfcxfu7Bn_5Gg6mEzuDBgOG8QIMEh3QqUcBnRJpJzCtwEMPUFx4ttXDj4AwMpWIc_lWjr0AlGiMlo59SgRxRMl42vDnwqes7W4xy0qghbT5StTfONAhQj3fSqPPx199YYpeJBeZwtw26crqTrbegKB7Zwls4n4ScJrXeAw_pHoGDToMg/s2775/the%20opera%20sisters.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik_nvtwkBMStBfcxfu7Bn_5Gg6mEzuDBgOG8QIMEh3QqUcBnRJpJzCtwEMPUFx4ttXDj4AwMpWIc_lWjr0AlGiMlo59SgRxRMl42vDnwqes7W4xy0qghbT5StTfONAhQj3fSqPPx199YYpeJBeZwtw26crqTrbegKB7Zwls4n4ScJrXeAw_pHoGDToMg/w133-h200/the%20opera%20sisters.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>Publisher: Shadow Mountain</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 352</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: eARC</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3unDqty">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Based on the true story of the Cook sisters, who smuggled valuables out of 1930s Nazi Germany to finance a daring, secret operation to help Jews find hope for a new life in England British sisters Ida and Louise Cook enjoy their quiet, unassuming lives in south London. Ida writes romance novels, and Louise works as a secretary. In the evenings, the sisters indulge in their shared love for opera, saving their money to buy records and attend performances throughout England and Europe, becoming well-known by both performers and fellow opera lovers. But when Hitler seizes power in 1933, he begins targeting and persecuting German Jews, passing laws that restrict their rights and their lives. The sisters continue their trips to the German opera houses, but soon, Jewish members of the opera community covertly approach the sisters, worried that they will be stripped of their wealth and forced to leave their homes and the country. Danger looms on the horizon, threatening to spill across all of Europe’s borders. Ida and Louise vow to help, but how can two ordinary working-class women with limited means make a difference? Together with their beloved opera community, the sisters devise a plan to personally escort Jewish refugees from Germany to England. The success of the plan hinges on Ida and Louise’s ability to smuggle contraband jewelry and furs beneath the watchful eyes of the SS soldiers guarding various checkpoints. But how many trips can they make before someone blows a whistle? Or before the final curtain falls on Germany’s borders?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Kritters Thoughts: A set of sisters that really lived through World War II and were driven to help Jewish people who were watching the rise of Hitler and his army and their hatred for their ethnicity, so Ida and Louise Cook were drawn to help in any way possible. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I have read a very large number of World War II books, so I think my standards for this sub-genre of historical fiction are quite high and for me this one didn't hit the mark. The reason this one wasn't a right fit for me was mostly in the format of the book and how it was put together. From the beginning, the way the book was written/put together made it feel like a bunch of short stories that abruptly ended and then started back up. I didn't feel as though the book had flow and it was interruptive and hard to read. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">With that being said, I did love these sisters and wanted to hear more of their story. I loved their determination to help people that they didn't even know and the many ways they went about trying to take care of each and every one of them no matter their age or lot in life. The moments where the book really focused on them and their endeavors I loved, but it would stop all of a sudden and go somewhere else and it was just jarring and took me out of the story. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I would love to find another story about these women and their fearlessness. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJylN2qNMMN6sbZBpzTPPTlG3LnUJePo8Ac5_ep6FP_8ML6zNVgACyjp-LmgxWWSZPm5xsTwCMXL2bmWipMESHrhak-xxxpihZFYNhkF68fg7iMMae8_2wTaFmty-WmG0p99j6PbwpsjHlZskvOPkqQTzxnYHEEKnX2MF8V1XjypO061Mtr2suQODRLg/s200/2%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJylN2qNMMN6sbZBpzTPPTlG3LnUJePo8Ac5_ep6FP_8ML6zNVgACyjp-LmgxWWSZPm5xsTwCMXL2bmWipMESHrhak-xxxpihZFYNhkF68fg7iMMae8_2wTaFmty-WmG0p99j6PbwpsjHlZskvOPkqQTzxnYHEEKnX2MF8V1XjypO061Mtr2suQODRLg/s1600/2%20star.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJylN2qNMMN6sbZBpzTPPTlG3LnUJePo8Ac5_ep6FP_8ML6zNVgACyjp-LmgxWWSZPm5xsTwCMXL2bmWipMESHrhak-xxxpihZFYNhkF68fg7iMMae8_2wTaFmty-WmG0p99j6PbwpsjHlZskvOPkqQTzxnYHEEKnX2MF8V1XjypO061Mtr2suQODRLg/s200/2%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-86179841359371847492024-02-04T20:00:00.040-05:002024-02-04T21:01:12.046-05:00Recipe Review: Super Bowl snacks<span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6Sg_t8hPyfYA-xY-Y76KlFFZYxPWy050Z8K7gTPBK2s3wBHJjm_-33hZRG98O4nIYAE_Ti8hKv2HT9haix5nd4Y7PQ21eRAFAkKJdKy4Hoy7POSl7kXCbJLivQNPRqQWU9_ozAH86gkIAz261YWl_cwAA-nKwohoODEdoqrq75DBic-Om6UBlNqM3bc/s4032/IMG_3295.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6Sg_t8hPyfYA-xY-Y76KlFFZYxPWy050Z8K7gTPBK2s3wBHJjm_-33hZRG98O4nIYAE_Ti8hKv2HT9haix5nd4Y7PQ21eRAFAkKJdKy4Hoy7POSl7kXCbJLivQNPRqQWU9_ozAH86gkIAz261YWl_cwAA-nKwohoODEdoqrq75DBic-Om6UBlNqM3bc/w150-h200/IMG_3295.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>With the Super Bowl coming up next week, I decided I wanted to spend the last week testing out recipes that could be used for a Super Bowl party, so two versions of air fryer Fried Pickle Chips and then a from scratch cheesy dip with some pretzel bites.</span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I am a huge fan of my air fryer. And I am a fan of fried pickles, so wanted to see if I could make them at home in a semi-healthy way. The first version, I used panko bread crumbs and they were fine, but I didn't love how thick the bread crumbs were. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kRh_5nR0Bco1oTg7CIljfUaRNRjAuhgALMun_mGK4-TjozFE5V3_ZUhil7jTvyDsN4HUq8A5W925KkAPo84R0W5j5cXrsBKNohnV5s5JsDfmcCqJLKldL8x0E5XlQ4Vk-KkPJnKw7qGhTsrZ11bgA4KOgj9NVAAcjTAUA30H1w_fa30-YylTiTidosg/s4032/IMG_3317.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kRh_5nR0Bco1oTg7CIljfUaRNRjAuhgALMun_mGK4-TjozFE5V3_ZUhil7jTvyDsN4HUq8A5W925KkAPo84R0W5j5cXrsBKNohnV5s5JsDfmcCqJLKldL8x0E5XlQ4Vk-KkPJnKw7qGhTsrZ11bgA4KOgj9NVAAcjTAUA30H1w_fa30-YylTiTidosg/w150-h200/IMG_3317.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">So second version I used this batter that is meant for chicken, but why not try it with fried pickles - AND yes, totally worked and loved them. Need to remember to spray some pam on the foil, but this will for sure be the way I make for Super Bowl and beyond! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc_ayustkpE1Q1WgFsWDvfePY4TBeUaJ7MXhuWdqhp_ZYEkig1P0VuiFKmptGM_LSnRRlMGeULiUN35Qf_NenbUl0tOJKm6fmHkuEYg-ZjpE1LITijvem7VXof8D3EVO0OdR8U16z51YWs-OUANcdPSftifAa47wOssbuyumznkg9Y_VZ9vxjexXq5m0/s4032/IMG_3319.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc_ayustkpE1Q1WgFsWDvfePY4TBeUaJ7MXhuWdqhp_ZYEkig1P0VuiFKmptGM_LSnRRlMGeULiUN35Qf_NenbUl0tOJKm6fmHkuEYg-ZjpE1LITijvem7VXof8D3EVO0OdR8U16z51YWs-OUANcdPSftifAa47wOssbuyumznkg9Y_VZ9vxjexXq5m0/w150-h200/IMG_3319.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>Finally. an easy cheese sauce that you can make and then put in a crock pot to keep it going for a party. AND it is a dupe for the cheese sauce at Shake Shack. It was nice and easy and tasted so good. I may have cheated a bit with frozen pretzel bites that I threw in the oven, but making pretzel bites is on a future to do list. </span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-45398348125179047442024-02-02T07:00:00.024-05:002024-02-02T07:00:00.139-05:00Review: One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZor4ESo-ifEb-gidEGXGm_1e7BPOcuuJTumifX9seJR5zbQ0bchBJqsek9P7pNtg752FbG6wslcyQ8inW3_hIZIJf5CEM8A_bCXGtWd-SJYa06P3JYvxLL3P2WfophTOJs4nvZeq-jlLA9rpDRNsS4X3ezgQM1pHMuMACa2C-yVNfvTuDtEvxM_JLKc/s400/one%20in%20a%20millennial.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZor4ESo-ifEb-gidEGXGm_1e7BPOcuuJTumifX9seJR5zbQ0bchBJqsek9P7pNtg752FbG6wslcyQ8inW3_hIZIJf5CEM8A_bCXGtWd-SJYa06P3JYvxLL3P2WfophTOJs4nvZeq-jlLA9rpDRNsS4X3ezgQM1pHMuMACa2C-yVNfvTuDtEvxM_JLKc/w129-h200/one%20in%20a%20millennial.jpeg" width="129" /></a></div>Publisher: St Martin's Press</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 336</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: audiobook</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3HjPfE0">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">From pop culture podcaster and a voice of a generation, Kate Kennedy, a celebration of the millennial zeitgeist</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">One In a Millennial is an exploration of pop culture, nostalgia, the millennial zeitgeist, and the life lessons learned (for better and for worse) from coming of age as a member of a much-maligned generation.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Kate is a pop culture commentator and host of the popular millennial-focused podcast Be There in Five . Part-funny, part-serious, Kate navigates the complicated nature of celebrating and criticizing the culture that shaped her as a woman, while arguing that great depths can come from surface-level interests.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">With her trademark style and vulnerability, One In a Millennial is sharp, hilarious, and heartwarming all at once. She tackles AOL Instant Messenger, purity culture, American Girl Dolls, going out tops, Spice Girl feminism, her feelings about millennial motherhood, and more. Kate’s laugh-out-loud asides and keen observations will have you nodding your head and maybe even tearing up.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Kritters Thoughts: Were you born between 1981 and 1995? Did you survive Y2K? Do you know the exact musical melody of dial-up internet? THEN you must listen to this book immediately! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Kate Kennedy was raised in Richmond, VA and made me laugh out loud and even cry a few tears while listening to her dive back into time and recount all the things that millennials have survived and maybe even why we are who we are! Her cultural references made me laugh at myself so hard and I immediately followed her on instagram and subscribed to her podcast like the fan girl millennial that I am! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I knew before starting this book that non fiction is my pure wheelhouse of audiobooks, so I knew that I would want to listen to this one and I was right! Listening to Kate Kennedy share her own words and hear her laugh at herself and choke up was just the right addition to my commutes and hours of house chores. While I want to branch out this year in my audio listening, it was nice to start the year with one I knew that would be a home run. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">My first audiobook of the year and although I completely loved it, it took me a weird amount of time to finish it! Made me realize how much I want to find more time in my days and weeks to make audiobooks a priority. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFItjwVpXrD9pOswdgzPHA4WhsgnizVZ4cV3oWbL_k5V41VvnO5c3tkT4u4teZsw9ng_IP-rc6HNFtqVcSaInWLbmz4ckIW9_TOJ_wEUVqLKhyphenhyphencSjuM0S3FpbCN0lqtVs9mCCQx0LBf1446At9X7ukaaY1jZ3CRtnyaSZoj4l2g2v4QV2QpoGcydkGHbU/s200/5%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFItjwVpXrD9pOswdgzPHA4WhsgnizVZ4cV3oWbL_k5V41VvnO5c3tkT4u4teZsw9ng_IP-rc6HNFtqVcSaInWLbmz4ckIW9_TOJ_wEUVqLKhyphenhyphencSjuM0S3FpbCN0lqtVs9mCCQx0LBf1446At9X7ukaaY1jZ3CRtnyaSZoj4l2g2v4QV2QpoGcydkGHbU/s1600/5%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div>Audiobook 2024 Challenge: 1 out of 24</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-5681220382936936912024-02-01T07:00:00.040-05:002024-02-01T07:00:00.157-05:00January<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2kxlhvE0P1Wr-_q98oEKv9x8hwvjEJ_KYoGG-UHT2cJ2dB5t5cdYLm3ZtwQHGsiQ_9Rji45l-b1VUOPuY7Fdq4_KnXYLB8txQ8GGGdZISSLkpBxG5tuNiQj_9qyaFZP_qUY8mzRtDKLcn7d37w3sWKSUlc4YnMsL30cVL_iXaeklcEquaENly4hsp3k/s724/Screenshot%202023-12-13%20at%2010.12.50%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="724" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2kxlhvE0P1Wr-_q98oEKv9x8hwvjEJ_KYoGG-UHT2cJ2dB5t5cdYLm3ZtwQHGsiQ_9Rji45l-b1VUOPuY7Fdq4_KnXYLB8txQ8GGGdZISSLkpBxG5tuNiQj_9qyaFZP_qUY8mzRtDKLcn7d37w3sWKSUlc4YnMsL30cVL_iXaeklcEquaENly4hsp3k/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-13%20at%2010.12.50%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn4.vectorstock.com%2Fi%2F1000x1000%2F98%2F28%2Fjanuary-month-name-handwritten-calligraphic-word-vector-23749828.jpg&tbnid=OL356lEbUHDBPM&vet=12ahUKEwi6vZ-L-o2DAxVoGFkFHRZvAOgQMygXegUIARCnAQ..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vectorstock.com%2Froyalty-free-vector%2Fjanuary-month-name-handwritten-calligraphic-word-vector-23749828&docid=iGp1VxT0MQXZzM&w=1000&h=1080&q=january&ved=2ahUKEwi6vZ-L-o2DAxVoGFkFHRZvAOgQMygXegUIARCnAQ">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">To recap January, I was ready for a new year to begin and made a few goals for the month and the year and I knocked January out of the park! I tried and loved 4 recipes and even have some ready for February. My reading is on track, maybe a little behind in the audiobook world, but that's ok. And my workouts have been so good - well-rounded, inspiring, and a wonderful break from the things going on around me. </span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Poppins; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span><span>1. Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody (audiobook)</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">2. A Light Beyond the Trenches by Alan Hlad</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">3. City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">4. Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">5. Seven Girls Gone by Allison Brennan</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">6. Diva by Daisy Goodwin</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">7. The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan </span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">8. Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">9. Cold Threat by Nancy Mehl</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">10. One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy (audiobook)</span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Total pages read, clicked, and flipped: 3,474</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where Have I Been Reading?:</b></span></span><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Maine</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Germany </b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Alaska</b></span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small;"><b>New York City</b></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small;"><b>Louisiana</b></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small;"><b>Los Angeles, CA</b></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small;"><b>St. Louis, MO</b></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; font-size: x-small;"><b>Burlington, IA</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span face="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-78866496168867442302024-01-30T07:00:00.050-05:002024-01-30T07:00:00.131-05:00Review: Cold Threat by Nancy Mehl<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIufJzgr6pXhC7ubchdfgm2Mfh9B2cPbdrUcq9Ym6_qx7is5FKzVJ3jqRwMjk1lWg-IDgwzVcKBn4GWc3zZTwJafVInio9ehEvqHpqFSmj657ORutPqW-yqWEbdFpLK7rn1ORCCXI-pCBGgsfoAneQdLepPDhf2FjpQ5aCVG-dACqqwe3xyzR7eKnEXM/s2000/cold%20threat.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1295" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIufJzgr6pXhC7ubchdfgm2Mfh9B2cPbdrUcq9Ym6_qx7is5FKzVJ3jqRwMjk1lWg-IDgwzVcKBn4GWc3zZTwJafVInio9ehEvqHpqFSmj657ORutPqW-yqWEbdFpLK7rn1ORCCXI-pCBGgsfoAneQdLepPDhf2FjpQ5aCVG-dACqqwe3xyzR7eKnEXM/w129-h200/cold%20threat.jpeg" width="129" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Publisher: Bethany House Publishers</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 336</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: eARC</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/4bahDGj">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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!)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I am excited that we don't have to wait too long for book three to arrive, as it will be here this summer!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigP2ygrwKRZIoqXuYo3CMNmlOCIX7hUdjJIGJu6DATHrE5eOHaiqDRWYx-etoN_60TPr1I6OMkBMMZ0oE7IjvsTNxGVFPtGM_LxSvKuAQpTt31IE0N3OWA0lv6WbvDHMkZexkJbaA0m2o0k-sKqJTAq9IdFLYaX-9Mkpaq_PPf5V9Q02ObK-K1sfHW7Z8/s200/4%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigP2ygrwKRZIoqXuYo3CMNmlOCIX7hUdjJIGJu6DATHrE5eOHaiqDRWYx-etoN_60TPr1I6OMkBMMZ0oE7IjvsTNxGVFPtGM_LxSvKuAQpTt31IE0N3OWA0lv6WbvDHMkZexkJbaA0m2o0k-sKqJTAq9IdFLYaX-9Mkpaq_PPf5V9Q02ObK-K1sfHW7Z8/s1600/4%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">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 </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-58311706092766605622024-01-29T07:00:00.055-05:002024-01-29T10:25:05.656-05:00Review: Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYfSMGjxcpX1_xznJPxjgXnX0bNcN445LAjwyUGZCwSzOVSXaHVF4EtlngfmmpFJ_Mz17wHAg20AuiF0wmkTPRSbnLM9NNU85Jjb7VHU7yGOiRuLZRDUB3SwkWMn9wUI8FeEbDL93AMn1rZV8_MN9CChZWZ2nl6KA4EL6p59HCiEbbnF1_CmnernYcVE/s499/cold%20pursuit.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYfSMGjxcpX1_xznJPxjgXnX0bNcN445LAjwyUGZCwSzOVSXaHVF4EtlngfmmpFJ_Mz17wHAg20AuiF0wmkTPRSbnLM9NNU85Jjb7VHU7yGOiRuLZRDUB3SwkWMn9wUI8FeEbDL93AMn1rZV8_MN9CChZWZ2nl6KA4EL6p59HCiEbbnF1_CmnernYcVE/w130-h200/cold%20pursuit.jpeg" width="130" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Publisher: Bethany House Publishers</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 336</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: eARC</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/47JjnmP">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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?</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduz0YVVvrHlqGeSMWv2kyhIHyRk3odjlLZcODN28G8sr-LVgsuWTkAzf4rUGRmqBwMONmdaChbiq6sLgsngyXnQSCspDwEC2A2xqeRe5K7JHi1aAhjzjn8_zaHeF3Wx71HzC8I3Q9GhzZbZyrPPC4WkzNyKnxsyvWP9dgOS9wAfayo-rmm_ZIEoZMbhw/s200/4%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduz0YVVvrHlqGeSMWv2kyhIHyRk3odjlLZcODN28G8sr-LVgsuWTkAzf4rUGRmqBwMONmdaChbiq6sLgsngyXnQSCspDwEC2A2xqeRe5K7JHi1aAhjzjn8_zaHeF3Wx71HzC8I3Q9GhzZbZyrPPC4WkzNyKnxsyvWP9dgOS9wAfayo-rmm_ZIEoZMbhw/s1600/4%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-68500851496942408042024-01-28T07:00:00.027-05:002024-01-28T07:00:00.142-05:00Recipe Review: Boursin pasta<span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy-JEiHy0dGoORMuHJl56egDmepc-S__aoIVp_Cge6TcgXCx6XMq-yFISwOVVwjZiI8x2isQf95SzJ8NTB52uplh_KylwiSmYQgxzHluJAA5fL_H8i06OeWvnrpcVAkglzFnHsKi0zoVXj1NTqu87Ck_PoWYPtuYqJO732v_k11cs1llvtLJaInum2GU/s4032/IMG_3189.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy-JEiHy0dGoORMuHJl56egDmepc-S__aoIVp_Cge6TcgXCx6XMq-yFISwOVVwjZiI8x2isQf95SzJ8NTB52uplh_KylwiSmYQgxzHluJAA5fL_H8i06OeWvnrpcVAkglzFnHsKi0zoVXj1NTqu87Ck_PoWYPtuYqJO732v_k11cs1llvtLJaInum2GU/w150-h200/IMG_3189.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>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. </span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_NoY8z8mS4EHJOJOLJBrwSD8THz3yoPSQgzHYAp9GwvLxe6XGq5Zwzea_hKLYl176fgVoWw0qCOpG_jgOMWuFv3Wvo3eBg_1Kz_A7xN4Rhx9zOS3B_VD_PwWILRecN8De4q90NCUIxPwduCRZJTVr8Wi2YWPyp9OIpr4a2fgsTn_dfURvJ-SwkcysuQ/s4032/IMG_3190.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_NoY8z8mS4EHJOJOLJBrwSD8THz3yoPSQgzHYAp9GwvLxe6XGq5Zwzea_hKLYl176fgVoWw0qCOpG_jgOMWuFv3Wvo3eBg_1Kz_A7xN4Rhx9zOS3B_VD_PwWILRecN8De4q90NCUIxPwduCRZJTVr8Wi2YWPyp9OIpr4a2fgsTn_dfURvJ-SwkcysuQ/w150-h200/IMG_3190.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-51096671440005523882024-01-26T07:00:00.021-05:002024-01-26T07:00:00.138-05:00Review: Diva by Daisy Goodwin<div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmyXoELFMDRQLlz6fCG2J_sDlz8R1aoRCruu_kkp4aPXC1buqEl_Wjo8Y2KuuhN8kpvC6GcmjHBFKf7beYXZvknRZ1EMy6z9QF2QHtbiqesEnntzLKtyrIcqD087p7ENZndx7LAIy0qBu3fe_zS-2gU2GhE3Q06OPR5er4jf2b-NJGK-Lo_nOeS7nHrg/s346/diva.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="228" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmyXoELFMDRQLlz6fCG2J_sDlz8R1aoRCruu_kkp4aPXC1buqEl_Wjo8Y2KuuhN8kpvC6GcmjHBFKf7beYXZvknRZ1EMy6z9QF2QHtbiqesEnntzLKtyrIcqD087p7ENZndx7LAIy0qBu3fe_zS-2gU2GhE3Q06OPR5er4jf2b-NJGK-Lo_nOeS7nHrg/w132-h200/diva.jpeg" width="132" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Publisher: St Martin's Press</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 336</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: eARC</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3vE6KMJ">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGRXGgq516X-khYHIY4WrU55OvhZCjLZfFhPUQAb-0dcWARmf93DNk-d_V0RSyg8FXNgwZjUQJVbEcgEGGl6iH7TiHbA_Cdi5Edn4lh2Kym0IdhmLdF9TWjSrLjBqMloSrxXC8aIhRXp0Tm1YirAjMt4UX0GQ2gnK5eMlelTUjRhfIQ5QV4xGcplT928/s200/3%20star.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGRXGgq516X-khYHIY4WrU55OvhZCjLZfFhPUQAb-0dcWARmf93DNk-d_V0RSyg8FXNgwZjUQJVbEcgEGGl6iH7TiHbA_Cdi5Edn4lh2Kym0IdhmLdF9TWjSrLjBqMloSrxXC8aIhRXp0Tm1YirAjMt4UX0GQ2gnK5eMlelTUjRhfIQ5QV4xGcplT928/s1600/3%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-30063090720747146502024-01-23T07:00:00.037-05:002024-01-23T07:00:00.157-05:00Review: The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECRMIC4Oa0CxfWpKvd7Zj6nGnKu3of2c5mEAuTKx5CMXXxJBA9l2NIdzkGhaxo0qg7xSf43inr470xZzuSyKP63-JQw6A-qvZAFK1Ivcp6hnmOfOv8B_mwwUq_KwpkUTVxDLU22tqB_xAc1NreYroWDV1U6vFx83N9q4mZ0zSpeAtmk585cJhwHW_OpA/s499/the%20missing%20witness.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="335" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECRMIC4Oa0CxfWpKvd7Zj6nGnKu3of2c5mEAuTKx5CMXXxJBA9l2NIdzkGhaxo0qg7xSf43inr470xZzuSyKP63-JQw6A-qvZAFK1Ivcp6hnmOfOv8B_mwwUq_KwpkUTVxDLU22tqB_xAc1NreYroWDV1U6vFx83N9q4mZ0zSpeAtmk585cJhwHW_OpA/w134-h200/the%20missing%20witness.jpeg" width="134" /></a></div>Publisher: MIRA</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 352</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: eARC</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3tRbqhu">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When a key witness goes missing, Quinn and Costa must find her before a killer silences her for good…</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaej6IgawjAp3mbzzAiNUBQNnzjZuUa9QSvW5Lyu_hjaymNZSL6aSqEdVjH1AmVtLxe-cahdzh17-_J1bmbCA0E34rCclJg2fr03gIrmnPyQFFC2oPn_hwjTW2lIJss2JdqOInIZjIg7RLqbAcSoucmRG5riZHR-AJWM5qg0zUEVmqaTO0OjTCSveX0Y/s200/5%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaej6IgawjAp3mbzzAiNUBQNnzjZuUa9QSvW5Lyu_hjaymNZSL6aSqEdVjH1AmVtLxe-cahdzh17-_J1bmbCA0E34rCclJg2fr03gIrmnPyQFFC2oPn_hwjTW2lIJss2JdqOInIZjIg7RLqbAcSoucmRG5riZHR-AJWM5qg0zUEVmqaTO0OjTCSveX0Y/s1600/5%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-19533282916930972802024-01-22T07:00:00.042-05:002024-01-22T07:00:00.145-05:00Review: Seven Girls Gone by Allison Brennan<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjr9YMGmbJRLpEji-ghbExqBzJjSBO4kIgCK0AH-pC_rVb9GksDld7t95RU0QHpji4KXPqPkIYp2_T326B-YmlBfbZaaK75UKr6iQcGPxL6tpM6wzvzBGL4Hwtarn-Zm1hsOftdaE9COF84gMCiOgY6Y5LIn-ylQvwkNRzIouPDjuVv7LEwy8egQBN9w/s3700/seven%20girls%20gone.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3700" data-original-width="2434" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjr9YMGmbJRLpEji-ghbExqBzJjSBO4kIgCK0AH-pC_rVb9GksDld7t95RU0QHpji4KXPqPkIYp2_T326B-YmlBfbZaaK75UKr6iQcGPxL6tpM6wzvzBGL4Hwtarn-Zm1hsOftdaE9COF84gMCiOgY6Y5LIn-ylQvwkNRzIouPDjuVv7LEwy8egQBN9w/w132-h200/seven%20girls%20gone.jpeg" width="132" /></a></div>Publisher: MIRA</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 352</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: eARC</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3Hhb9Yf">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYE-0Dx5PeJVDHDWROL1UWBPBI0cDdcOqEZGecB9Kxo2jzTiCWvNKj09G5oDBSpxUDGzvh-ImfTKoyjZwiFgtoBQZ9DhtbIp_jaS-mwEROhKp1_EECbToRyD6Pjwxjv2bC0CF2dYhtPF_8d6zriA9Ga0SaMZBXRzXZEnyUKHohPcjCb9YtD8JceeaT9A/s200/4%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGYE-0Dx5PeJVDHDWROL1UWBPBI0cDdcOqEZGecB9Kxo2jzTiCWvNKj09G5oDBSpxUDGzvh-ImfTKoyjZwiFgtoBQZ9DhtbIp_jaS-mwEROhKp1_EECbToRyD6Pjwxjv2bC0CF2dYhtPF_8d6zriA9Ga0SaMZBXRzXZEnyUKHohPcjCb9YtD8JceeaT9A/s1600/4%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-25839180168826604072024-01-21T15:30:00.001-05:002024-01-21T15:30:00.140-05:00Recipe Review: Creamy Pasta<p><span style="font-family: Poppins;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIrZPdmZsHv_T5uQfgsO_0Qz_d-ohEMShqSosM31iZxeX5KQo0PAXVV7RcBKNvYH2h_8d8NWa6bJ7JTz2BPpW-CIQfGOlq3mkhqp5Z7vJw6RqboXMzly1ttuAImpPj3_Q90cw_QXTRNDIJGcrhpNHwi9f2uEVA2fRvJFTf3NEVAIvKtCOLWjGw1LtAu0/s4032/IMG_3152.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIrZPdmZsHv_T5uQfgsO_0Qz_d-ohEMShqSosM31iZxeX5KQo0PAXVV7RcBKNvYH2h_8d8NWa6bJ7JTz2BPpW-CIQfGOlq3mkhqp5Z7vJw6RqboXMzly1ttuAImpPj3_Q90cw_QXTRNDIJGcrhpNHwi9f2uEVA2fRvJFTf3NEVAIvKtCOLWjGw1LtAu0/w150-h200/IMG_3152.jpeg" width="150" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. <br /> </span></p><p><br /></p>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-60768268238989181242024-01-16T07:00:00.093-05:002024-01-16T07:00:00.144-05:00Review: City Under One Roof by Irish Yamashita<div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Poppins; text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdnQwkQz62gApiM4KSLNBTdE2QamsE5rUOTNmY0OMcLK5_dwiyFNkYnu8eeomrhMYtK06o8LA0rfkJLCDREOn9W7vgd8LyR_u-jUWxff-5MtG_cmQSq7DiKDnuONTLCYPKkrlBDRar6cpy36kU9PbRm_EYEtetP_2DWOCrMy0-lLw316eKKS_5YK2TDI/s500/city%20under%20one%20roof.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdnQwkQz62gApiM4KSLNBTdE2QamsE5rUOTNmY0OMcLK5_dwiyFNkYnu8eeomrhMYtK06o8LA0rfkJLCDREOn9W7vgd8LyR_u-jUWxff-5MtG_cmQSq7DiKDnuONTLCYPKkrlBDRar6cpy36kU9PbRm_EYEtetP_2DWOCrMy0-lLw316eKKS_5YK2TDI/w133-h200/city%20under%20one%20roof.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>Publisher: Berkley</div></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 304</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: eARC</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/4aPqkFT">Amazon</a></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Poppins;">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.</span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">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?"</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CRgCzAmbMNh_uvH73Zq0L7vuj6BkQIAJM2F19lm_dsVorna4K9DkUXEBj709J3biKf0qfCuP1fMRvTZS7JJwsaBfePdlSuxkT8FdmEzINBdJxzdz97ho1XjyrdBJPFoTVM1V4yItgc6ra38VBuvNBHsJFemUkXAPZ6eckhyphenhyphenWacJB_rMzOwhcAgorOas/s200/4%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CRgCzAmbMNh_uvH73Zq0L7vuj6BkQIAJM2F19lm_dsVorna4K9DkUXEBj709J3biKf0qfCuP1fMRvTZS7JJwsaBfePdlSuxkT8FdmEzINBdJxzdz97ho1XjyrdBJPFoTVM1V4yItgc6ra38VBuvNBHsJFemUkXAPZ6eckhyphenhyphenWacJB_rMzOwhcAgorOas/s1600/4%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-89624561125851055952024-01-14T08:00:00.009-05:002024-01-21T14:22:22.493-05:00Recipe Review: Blue Cheese steak sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUjjdZkdLPqmOsEwwh8VuQPO66BnRrpz2jIZ15pbCuPnELKGUATwgLepC-tEXrxzUazeXoyoUG7K3SzIoINyDaAUMW1mnCCVUGZUeLj2nU9a6vnuTAK47Plf_NtSgun3-PehS_GhWBKmz0kSO-aTQpgD3JEOXWLswF6EvSaKu30iGP3z4-sZ6e1-Y7Ek/s4032/IMG_3113.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUjjdZkdLPqmOsEwwh8VuQPO66BnRrpz2jIZ15pbCuPnELKGUATwgLepC-tEXrxzUazeXoyoUG7K3SzIoINyDaAUMW1mnCCVUGZUeLj2nU9a6vnuTAK47Plf_NtSgun3-PehS_GhWBKmz0kSO-aTQpgD3JEOXWLswF6EvSaKu30iGP3z4-sZ6e1-Y7Ek/w200-h150/IMG_3113.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>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! <div><br /></div><div>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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreqtPdx0LdXGexsR1BdTD1bkKsKe9E-t6HfFydxipK_4wbWxa0Ec9-hKn4oEWICyxOLCpKpAT9SGaJX_ODBwj7gN4Kwj4wnDlWpQEhin3gPGq3estwUYv-_R4vvUWI7GdAsVLDwyiz3Ij6-oLI4b1sgUZ1ZcTyuT1aM1gxBgLqCp8uydvzf9HLMeO6MI/s4032/IMG_3121.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreqtPdx0LdXGexsR1BdTD1bkKsKe9E-t6HfFydxipK_4wbWxa0Ec9-hKn4oEWICyxOLCpKpAT9SGaJX_ODBwj7gN4Kwj4wnDlWpQEhin3gPGq3estwUYv-_R4vvUWI7GdAsVLDwyiz3Ij6-oLI4b1sgUZ1ZcTyuT1aM1gxBgLqCp8uydvzf9HLMeO6MI/w200-h150/IMG_3121.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br /></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-34729742276874481482024-01-09T07:00:00.059-05:002024-01-09T07:00:00.258-05:00Review: Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZC0g9Z_1il3SO5RJpj_rN3TZNIyHRBM5GymaMEARYlEF5rHkAXce9WzW85hyphenhyphenqMGM0FqI8-46_DNY68IF1IAPmB80GDJDrhzTSV5U8-ScXxaC70awJYnJtO2oQeUh4A6hbzUgb-KfK20gRTKyd1notRW4WndvU3FaAMZjehgpCnbG0s2v5cy_40OTgR0/s3300/rabbit%20hole.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZC0g9Z_1il3SO5RJpj_rN3TZNIyHRBM5GymaMEARYlEF5rHkAXce9WzW85hyphenhyphenqMGM0FqI8-46_DNY68IF1IAPmB80GDJDrhzTSV5U8-ScXxaC70awJYnJtO2oQeUh4A6hbzUgb-KfK20gRTKyd1notRW4WndvU3FaAMZjehgpCnbG0s2v5cy_40OTgR0/w133-h200/rabbit%20hole.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>Rabbit Hole<br />by Kate Brody</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Publisher: Soho Crime</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 374</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: audiobook and ebook</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/48KLmUd">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Audiobook 2024 Challenge: 1 out of 24</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating: <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IbhiPh8lpAbVaAWHw5B555noSNDTSQRc1oMHxCdW4teLZPy8fEUhqHkRq2w1CHgxgTB4hlJon7PQk8fbZ6oG9MkQqoQw-XQ7cWUcCU8_CSmmvOy9GibQsyYGq1d1zQzaE_Y9p0P4RbgK3c93iFYCllEZQCPta1NrrqVxf5UWvhwawOYNxKIM4iCQbto/s200/2%20star.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IbhiPh8lpAbVaAWHw5B555noSNDTSQRc1oMHxCdW4teLZPy8fEUhqHkRq2w1CHgxgTB4hlJon7PQk8fbZ6oG9MkQqoQw-XQ7cWUcCU8_CSmmvOy9GibQsyYGq1d1zQzaE_Y9p0P4RbgK3c93iFYCllEZQCPta1NrrqVxf5UWvhwawOYNxKIM4iCQbto/s1600/2%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-13879551693579511812024-01-07T07:00:00.053-05:002024-01-07T07:00:00.142-05:00Recipe Review - Roasted Rack of Lamb<p><span style="font-family: Poppins;"></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwbdwrKsDgPFyurliRv98gtojP051LqcYDfynEchLJDPkO9JB0N-w09OIAUcS8f_yJmNAjAM2gG18LoTZxk5VrU_9nraoS5D8ts4aVS1Ja9tbn4nNVhz8_rZGzZv073a4eMpnFc5HW4OLxcLWWfJpl3w6mJKg0mDtvTj0d5DqBx4hln4s6fH8OoaksPM/s4032/IMG_3017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwbdwrKsDgPFyurliRv98gtojP051LqcYDfynEchLJDPkO9JB0N-w09OIAUcS8f_yJmNAjAM2gG18LoTZxk5VrU_9nraoS5D8ts4aVS1Ja9tbn4nNVhz8_rZGzZv073a4eMpnFc5HW4OLxcLWWfJpl3w6mJKg0mDtvTj0d5DqBx4hln4s6fH8OoaksPM/w150-h200/IMG_3017.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM-kBvV385X8EYnPv8WAQXPK_OGfYuKTkTT3lHm9Y9pdaMdeM1LpiVX3kxKR92j3XBdFdhVqMGtauZwZdxy33xEd7n5ByIMxgmlxpLVyM75v7wno3U-aOYmx_duQYv1mvoh4kGX5fa67kA4qOv5rfLMz12CsKOCSLpIY_sAHjIpJ7sl6AUxnJ50kn69M/s4032/IMG_3036.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM-kBvV385X8EYnPv8WAQXPK_OGfYuKTkTT3lHm9Y9pdaMdeM1LpiVX3kxKR92j3XBdFdhVqMGtauZwZdxy33xEd7n5ByIMxgmlxpLVyM75v7wno3U-aOYmx_duQYv1mvoh4kGX5fa67kA4qOv5rfLMz12CsKOCSLpIY_sAHjIpJ7sl6AUxnJ50kn69M/w150-h200/IMG_3036.jpeg" width="150" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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!</span></div><p><span style="font-family: Poppins;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Poppins;">2024 Recipe #1</span></p>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-11392045136538285672024-01-05T07:00:00.034-05:002024-01-05T07:00:00.253-05:00Review: Being Henry by Henry Winkler<div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YFc9Et5ZkHaO6nOVRhBl9aJPkEffVs5VI2nW13EG9K9aj5rC5OcnAHAWGms0wlWe2fgsNqUuqXxvZElSU8PzOsgJ4mPG5MrUUGD1JS7kX-YnHVpuw9cZIRKGvEVfXxDe9o51HQJGojk0MWjV1pp1KzRcL5uOBeAITNjLpcSN0FUSpFISn9Nk0OpwCW4/s2850/being%20henry.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="1875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YFc9Et5ZkHaO6nOVRhBl9aJPkEffVs5VI2nW13EG9K9aj5rC5OcnAHAWGms0wlWe2fgsNqUuqXxvZElSU8PzOsgJ4mPG5MrUUGD1JS7kX-YnHVpuw9cZIRKGvEVfXxDe9o51HQJGojk0MWjV1pp1KzRcL5uOBeAITNjLpcSN0FUSpFISn9Nk0OpwCW4/s320/being%20henry.jpeg" width="211" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Being Henry</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">by Henry Winkler<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Publisher: Celadon Books</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Pages: 256</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Format: audiobook</span></div><div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Buy the Book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3RKaUK4">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: <span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Kritters Thoughts: An audiobook that I finished the end of 2023 and one that I loved. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Rating:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGebpWZKx12IAyqNv9JBBYdCJRjfwWwVrCswth8OPOksF5nG4yenuIfiqlsET6Hibb2bR70Wv65Dtf_M4828d-kIbcYr-T6nl3LRrgZ8VUIziaNubOLqJufXtbv4r3M9ZkyI6W8e-sTFm93058i2SywaGhbtSWa16bDE9TW-ipRNyyxTS-Aqv3kTHJUis/s200/4%20star.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="55" data-original-width="200" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGebpWZKx12IAyqNv9JBBYdCJRjfwWwVrCswth8OPOksF5nG4yenuIfiqlsET6Hibb2bR70Wv65Dtf_M4828d-kIbcYr-T6nl3LRrgZ8VUIziaNubOLqJufXtbv4r3M9ZkyI6W8e-sTFm93058i2SywaGhbtSWa16bDE9TW-ipRNyyxTS-Aqv3kTHJUis/s1600/4%20star.png" width="200" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley. I was not required to write </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #626155; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.</span></b></span></span></span></div></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-33680780014457595892024-01-02T07:00:00.001-05:002024-01-02T07:00:00.135-05:002024 Personal Goals<span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAQ7bqv-Jx_x5U5rpVJ2rx5VLMp33NowVh19BMCtW5W06za8P7sRAOI1Gg6vBRzN3PXBf_36QJDUJ8c9KssZAKV6lshhDwS_A0BwYN_zoVuv2W65TfrqAev1oe7ZOxGyThkOr_pAAVN154mdZ9vkXIfUwCLD8cnyw0aLJSfMWw09a-k_kWnFLA8DxLL0/s2278/IMG_2410.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2278" data-original-width="1854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAQ7bqv-Jx_x5U5rpVJ2rx5VLMp33NowVh19BMCtW5W06za8P7sRAOI1Gg6vBRzN3PXBf_36QJDUJ8c9KssZAKV6lshhDwS_A0BwYN_zoVuv2W65TfrqAev1oe7ZOxGyThkOr_pAAVN154mdZ9vkXIfUwCLD8cnyw0aLJSfMWw09a-k_kWnFLA8DxLL0/s320/IMG_2410.jpeg" width="260" /></a></div>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:</div></div></div></span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzNVQcpsrSebatFTGTQKQUoMNG7yLBg_F15T_KZp4hFGWKwE6Bu4CfgbsBgov97mQLvRrwRGgv7kLMFNFkRo6Cd5AVf8XGYEG8wBfRvLMzmv-vP7UBzYXMNPJ1_BjGIKtZR8DtfKB22m6lIzy0X4HaHMx3QAuP0QYfwMdiwq0_aYhvXZCUk1czHDsIV4/s4032/IMG_2946.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzNVQcpsrSebatFTGTQKQUoMNG7yLBg_F15T_KZp4hFGWKwE6Bu4CfgbsBgov97mQLvRrwRGgv7kLMFNFkRo6Cd5AVf8XGYEG8wBfRvLMzmv-vP7UBzYXMNPJ1_BjGIKtZR8DtfKB22m6lIzy0X4HaHMx3QAuP0QYfwMdiwq0_aYhvXZCUk1czHDsIV4/s320/IMG_2946.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I already have tomatoes from last year's harvest and making homemade pasta sauce is on my early to do list! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-75611525984482671312024-01-01T19:00:00.005-05:002024-01-01T19:00:00.134-05:002024 Reading Goals<span style="font-family: Poppins;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8kvJGnqZIHAHGn-6lQ1Uw3iV5HyeY8UvrZJXr2z2_b8rfNcmL3ZetgkcAt9NyjtYVAgqyMZTUtDO6WA4f9wAOC4Ot0w67I6VvUAggrMZIvSYdQzQ3oWQDQLTRUdt_fH9Zc8h16_dVXZ1gH6z4CWdHMkEHxULQb0E30EmDbBDRd22aJXoFs2H1AN5LVY/s225/2024.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8kvJGnqZIHAHGn-6lQ1Uw3iV5HyeY8UvrZJXr2z2_b8rfNcmL3ZetgkcAt9NyjtYVAgqyMZTUtDO6WA4f9wAOC4Ot0w67I6VvUAggrMZIvSYdQzQ3oWQDQLTRUdt_fH9Zc8h16_dVXZ1gH6z4CWdHMkEHxULQb0E30EmDbBDRd22aJXoFs2H1AN5LVY/w200-h200/2024.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>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! </span><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Ok now for the Reading Goals of 2024!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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. </span></div><div><br /></div>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2776123865094075445.post-47906895292762835282024-01-01T07:00:00.001-05:002024-01-01T07:00:00.138-05:00First Book of 2024!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;">I am beyond excited for 2024 and </span><span style="font-family: Poppins;">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! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Poppins;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztRW39FLgjVP2yUzbuom4QinCwGjDV3Fnf9fZGi01Xod-mmH7WrSzFzZZEaoELq6ptlATM26XjjbI7YM-JubXTJahvh2zNQeZRr7JfWq-paSYsrbFmx7k3VdvnjavdPaI23v4xN6-n2JKDvdlfUnxwIBDFUs7EcDO4lcX7EQNPXdRYh14H7B3LjfF3s4/s3300/rabbit%20hole.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztRW39FLgjVP2yUzbuom4QinCwGjDV3Fnf9fZGi01Xod-mmH7WrSzFzZZEaoELq6ptlATM26XjjbI7YM-JubXTJahvh2zNQeZRr7JfWq-paSYsrbFmx7k3VdvnjavdPaI23v4xN6-n2JKDvdlfUnxwIBDFUs7EcDO4lcX7EQNPXdRYh14H7B3LjfF3s4/w133-h200/rabbit%20hole.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Poppins;">Goodreads: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">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.</span></div><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">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.</span>Kritters Ramblingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06295328789655036141noreply@blogger.com0