Peasreads: Secret Santa by Kay Lyons

 

Entertaining read. It's fiction so it's a little unbelievable that isn't the issue to be I love fiction, fantasy magical realism. This book is not magical realism or fantasy. But it was a fun take on who Santa is. There were some things that made no sense though. FMC (Holly) was protecting something so precious and a secret, and so important that she took unnecessary risks. At times I was just fed up with her.

I won't read it again and I will not be picking up the other books but it's a holiday read.

Description:

A clean and wholesome romantic-suspense (light) set in the Alaskan bush, featuring a former soldier crash-landed into an off-the-grid compound, a mysterious rescuer, and forced proximity under dangerous conditions. Expect slow-burn, closed-door (only-kisses) chemistry, survival stakes, secrets and deception, and a protector hero determined to uncover the truth—on the way to a guaranteed HEA. Perfect for readers who love wilderness settings and low-spice, high-heart danger-meets-romance stories.

Ty McGarretty must face the inevitable. His Cessna is going down in the Alaskan bush and there’s nothing he can do but pray for a miracle. From out of nowhere she appears. Beautiful, daring, a woman he finds himself drawn to after he wakes up in a secret off-the-grid compound.

Who are these people? Where did they come from? Why are they here? A former soldier, Ty knows something isn’t right and it’s his duty to gain intel and unearth the many secrets being kept.

Learning the truth may mean never making it home, but there is no other way to discern if his rescuer is an “angel”—or a terrorist in disguise.

Salmon Poke

I am one of those people who adds all sorts of non-traditional things to a Poke Bowl when I'm out. Baby Kale? Sure. Edamame? Why not? Sliced Jalapeños? Yes please. I'm not from Hawaii. I've only been once, and I ate Poke every day. This recipe? Not traditional, but still so very good.

 

Peasreads: Tea Princess Chronicles

 Tea Princess Chronicles Series

Tea Princess Chronicles is a complete cozy fantasy trilogy full of magic tea, friendship, and saving the world.
Follow the adventures of Miyara, a princess who escapes her meaningless life and goes into hiding, as she finds her place in the world serving a struggling community by running a tea shop that sits on the edge of a magical disaster.

Peasreads: The Scarlet Ball by Nghi Vo

This is a fantasy, gothic book set in New York during the Gilded Age. There is magic, witches, and other beings. There is body horror. Violence. This is not a romance; this is a book of survival and how far the main character will go not only to survive but to get what she wants. It is a good story; pacing is good with some slower areas, but those are moved through quickly. The description of the world, setting, and magic is really done well and vivid. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't as good as The Brides of High Hill. Neither is a genre I usually choose. I am glad I read it and would still recommend it to others who like Gothic fantasy and fiction. 

Description:

From USA Today bestselling author Nghi Vo, this all-consuming tale of ballrooms and bloodshed weds The Gilded Age with the Gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro.

Pick a face, pick a fate.

Judith Ban, former convent girl, courtesan, and failed thief, is on the lookout for her next identity. The daughter of a Vietnamese adventuress and a French naval officer, she’s no stranger to risk, but she’s unprepared for the secrets of New York’s legendary Four Hundred, or for the women who build their power at the city’s heart through blood-soaked, gold-etched rituals of demonic marriage.

Cranberry Apple Pie- Double Crust

I baked this pie in 2021. I have baked it several times since, but I never blogged it. These photos are from 2021. I am finally getting to it! I think I like cranberries in pies because they give such a yummy tartness like Rhubarb. They tint the apples a pretty blush pink that is so lovely.  So pretty for a festive table. There are a lot of photos, so the recipe is right after this next photo.

Cranberry Apple Pie

1 double-crust pie dough, nine-inch

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon reserved for top of pie

3 tablespoons butter, salted

pinch of salt

1/4 cup orange juice, zest first and set zest aside

4 medium-sized tart apples, peeled and sliced (about 6 cups sliced)

1/4 cup cornstarch, or all-purpose flour

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, reserve 6 or so berries for garnish(optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice; Penzey's has a great one

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1. Place one pie crust in the bottom of a deep dish 9-inch pie plate; leave enough crust on the edges to crimp later. Place in fridge to chill.
2. Stir brown sugar, sugar, butter, salt, and orange juice into a pot over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugars are dissolved.
3. Toss apples and cranberries in cornstarch or flour, orange zest, and spices. Add to the pot. Cook until the mixture has slightly thickened and the apples are just getting soft, they will continue to cook in the oven.  Remove from heat and set aside. (Cooking the filling is optional; you can mix all the filling ingredients together. Reserving the butter. Place mixture into an uncooked pie crust, then dot with cubes of butter. I like my apples a little more tender and find that I can control how watery the filling is by cooking first.)
4. Preheat oven to 425* F.  
5. Roll out the second pie crust. Cut strips for a lattice, or use cookie cutters to cut out some shapes to vent the dough. 
6. Remove the pie plate from the fridge and fill it with pie filling. Dot with 2 tablespoons of cubed butter.
7. Place the top crust on the pie and crimp the edges. I do my lattice work on the pie as opposed to placing the assembled lattice on the pie.
8. Brush the top crust with heavy cream, and sprinkle sugar on top. Place reserved cranberries between the weaving of the lattice. (or in the cutouts if you used a cookie cutter)
9. Place pie on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350*F and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. 45minutes to 1 hour. Make sure to shield the crust if it is getting over-browned.
10. Let cool before serving.

You can see my apples are not mushy and really cooked, but the filling is not watery. 

For ease, I like to roll my pie crust between two sheets of parchment. Once rolled out, I can place the whole thing in the fridge to chill if it's getting too warm. 

For this pie, I braided some of the lattice pieces.

Wonky, but it's all done. 

Baked up beautifully.

Thank you for visiting this little blog.

 

Peasreads: Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim

 

And Elizabeth Lim draws me back in with the prequel, great as a stand alone, to Six Crimson Cranes. And it is good. After A Dragon's Promise I didn't have high expectations. I was so wrong. I loved getting insight to Channi's history. How her life shaped her. The decisions that she had to make as a child and teenager. She is fierce and loyal. 

The story flows well. The pacing is good. The story was beautiful. Some of the reminders of how beautiful Vanna was did get a little repetitive, but in contrast in how Channi was treated for her looks made sense to include that. 

Sous Vide Eye of Round

This is a great way to cook a tender, juicy eye of round. Eaten as a roast with gravy or on sandwiches, it tastes better and is less expensive than roast beef from most grocery stores. You can season it with whatever you like.  I bagged this eye of round with a packet of French Onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and a little soy sauce. Vacuum-sealed with my FoodSaver. Placed it in the freezer for when I wanted to use it. 

Peasreads: Strong as a Lion by Karla Sy with Felishia Henditirto (Illustrator)

Strong as a Lion

by Karla Sy
with Felishia Henditirto (Illustrator)

Heartwarming book about a little girl who is determined to help her Yeye (grandfather) by bringing him luck. She shows compassion for her grandfather. She demonstrates determination, resourcefulness, creativity, and a sweet spirit by including her younger brother.

The illustrations are beautiful. The story was engaging and fun. Fun to read out loud or for kids to read on their own. 

There is a craft and explanation of Lion Dance symbolism in the back which is really neat.

Description

Mia's mission to bring good luck to her Yeye's store makes a great read-aloud for Lunar New Year.

"Good luck is coming Yeye's way!"

Mia loves spending time at her grandfather's store. When she finds out that the store is on the brink of closure, she embarks on a mission to bring Yeye as much luck as she can. With Lunar New Year approaching, Mia knows that lion dancing brings good luck, and the one who wears the head gets to control the luck. But when the lion head is too heavy for Mia to carry, how will she turn her family's luck around?

Imaginative and detailed, Strong as a Lion immerses readers into Mia's story, reminding them that although they may not feel strong enough, they possess the strength to impact their communities. Backmatter includes an author's note about lion dancing, as well as instructions on how to create your very own lion head.

Find more book reviews here under Peasreads.

Amazon reviews Katereviews.

Goodreads reviews.

Thank you NetGalley and Beaming Books for the egalley I was under no investigation to leave a review