Peasreads: A Turning Tide Christmas by Serenity Bea

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Five stars for this novella. Cozy and fun. The banter between the two main characters was funny and entertaining. The pacing was great. Sometimes novella's can seem so rushed but this one had great timing.

 I've never read anything by this author before, but would not hesitate to pick up another read from her. 

Scones

I haven't made scones in a long time. I saw some Double Cream at the grocery store and grabbed some, thinking it was a great time to make scones. I have been running around and so busy trying to stay afloat that I just haven't slowed down to enjoy simple things. Always in motion, trying to get the next thing done on my list. It's s simple but these scones gave me a breather. Making them. Enjoying them with a cup of tea, in an actual teacup, with a book. Simple. None of that will negate all I have on my plate right now, but it gave me a good respite. 

Red Beans and Rice

I apologize for these photos. They were taken quickly in the evening before dinner. This recipe for Red Beans and Rice is simple. I add carrot but I don't think that's traditional. This may not even be a traditional recipe but it's good. It also freezes well  I like my beans really soft and mashed but they can be left whole.

Kaffir Lime Leaves and Lemongrass

I posted this Larb gai yesterday and thought I put this picture in that post. I didn't. My mom grows these Kaffir leaves so she brings them to me to put in my freezer. I love them. So fragrant and fresh. Great in soups, Thai beef salad, marinades, curries and more.
They can also be dehydrated. Just wash, dry, and put them in my dehydrator.

(Living in Texas I now have my own tree and I love having fresh leaves year round)

Peasreads- For Ever More Sue Lynn Tan

 

What a great conclusion to Never Ever After. Yining is back home. She is settling in with her family and her people. She is learning the customs and traditions of her people. It is a world that is so unlike the Iron Mountains that she grew up in. While she is settling in, she juggles her feelings and her vow to Jin to help him save his people and his land. And then there's Prince Zixin. Both these male characters are complex. Jin is noble in his quest to save his land; no one can fault him for that. Yining still struggles with trusting him after he made her make the vow to help him. The Prince is ready to fight his sister back for the Kingdom that is rightfully his. Could his story be a redemption arc? After all he did?  Has he learned from the past? Can a person really change? 

Is this a fantasy with romance? Or a romantasy? I can't really say. I do know that I loved the story. I  loved the setting. I loved this conclusion. 

 In For Ever After, this epic fantasy finds Yining on the run and fighting to save her family and her kingdom. 

Order now and receive the SPECIAL FIRST EDITION while supplies last—featuring a designed case cover under the jacket and illustrated endpapers, in addition to shiny foil and embossing. This must-have special edition is only available in the limited first printing.

After the explosive events of Never Ever After, Yining flees the Iron Mountains with her unlikely allies, seeking the truth about her newfound powers amid the secrets surrounding her ancestral home. But with a traitorous queen ruling the Three Kingdoms from a stolen throne, nowhere is truly safe, and Yining must decide whom to trust to keep her family—and her heart—from harm.

Praise for Never Ever After:

“Rich and layered and deliciously transportive.” —Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath & the Dawn

“Tan has crafted a jewel of a fairy-tale retelling and each prism is lustrous with sinister wonder.” —Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of the Gilded Wolves Trilogy

“A lush and effervescent, masterfully crafted fantasy.” —Elizabeth Lim, New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes

“I absolutely adored it and cannot wait for the sequel!” —Allison Saft, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Starlight

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers., and Hatchette book group. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Between You and Us

Between You and Us By Kendra Broekhuis

What a good read. Heartbreaking. But so beautiful. I always think I know what I will do when put into situations when it comes to my children. What a ride this book is!

Reading the author's take on this impossible choice was so interesting and heartbreaking. 

Book Description

When a grieving woman unexpectedly steps into a different version of her life, she must choose between the husband she loves and the daughter she lost in this brave, gripping novel.

“A beautiful story that will make you rethink all the moments you’ve wished for a different outcome.”—Johanna Rojas Vann, author of An American Immigrant

Two possible lives to live. One impossible choice to make.

When Leona Warlon heads across the city to meet her husband, David, for a rare dinner out, she hopes they can share a moment of relief after their year of loss. But Leona quickly realizes this is no ordinary date night. She hasn’t just stepped into an upscale ristorante; she’s stepped into a different version of her life. One in which her marriage is no longer tender, in which her days are pressured by her powerful in-laws, and in which her precious baby girl lived.

Now Leona must weigh the bitter and sweet of both trajectories, facing an unimaginable choice: Stay in a world where tragedy hasn’t struck but where the meaningful life she built with David is gone? Or return to a reality that’s filled with struggle and sorrow but also deep and enduring love?

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Penguin Random House I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Tales of Green Tea Notes from a Centuries-Old Kyoto Teahouse by Miyako Watanabe with Cathy Hirano (Translator)

A slice of life book about a 300-year-old tea shop that is just delightful. Some basic recipes that seem simple but are so informative as far as time and temperature for brewing different teas. The author tells us how each tea is grown and when it is harvested. There is history woven in with how tea and the tearoom have progressed with the times. I wish I could visit during all the seasons to see their different decor and taste their seasonal offerings. Lovely storytelling that makes you want to explore the region. There are some fun doodles in the book, but it is not really a book to flip through for art. Just scattered throughout, and cute. Ippodo has a website and ships their tea all over the world. I can't wait to try the Hōjicha.

 Description

A charming, lightly illustrated exploration of the history of green tea and matcha, Japanese tea culture, and daily life in Kyoto by the owner of the 300-year-old Ippodo Tea shop.

At the family-owned Ippodo tea store in Kyoto, time passes at the gentle pace of green tea leaves brewing in a kyusu teapot. Written by the store’s current owner, Miyako Watanabe, Tales of Green Tea offers an account of everyday life at this beloved spot, but also of the knowledge, encounters, and discoveries that come with a life steeped in tea.

Composed of short, evocative sections that move through the seasons and engage the senses, along with charming tea-themed illustrations, Tales of Green Tea is at all times moving, nostalgic, funny, and informative. From the historical origins of tea, right up to modern day tea commerce and culture, and many reminiscences in between, we explore the endless flow of tales to be found in a simple cup of tea, alongside best practices for home brewing and recipes for tea snacks.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: The Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook Revised Edition by Melissa Urban

 

Great recipes, just nothing really new. Some information on whole 3o is revised. The photos are gorgeous. The recipes are Whole30 compliant with some fun new ideas. 

Helpful for beginners. Great for reference.

You can find more Whole 30 content HERE. 

Description

A must-have updated edition of the New York Times bestseller—featuring 35 new quick and easy recipes and updated program guidelines.

This revised edition of the bestselling Whole30 Fast & Easy is updated with 35 brand-new recipes and photos, perfect for weeknight cooking, lunches in a hurry, and hearty breakfasts that still get you out the door on time.

The groundbreaking Whole30 program has helped millions of people transform their lives, bringing about better sleep, more energy, less bloating, and fewer cravings. In this cookbook, bestselling author and Whole30 co-creator Melissa Urban wants to make it even easier to achieve Whole30 success—with over 150 easy-to-make recipes that you can put together in 30 minutes or less. Think dishes like:

Green Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Tahini Dressing

Vietnamese-Inspired Pork Tacos

Charred Veggie and Chicken Fajita Wrap

Shrimp and Green Bean Stir Fry with Quick Chili Crisp

Roasted Garlic-Potato Soup with Sausage and Kale

Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken, Broccoli and Baby Yukons

Featuring hearty and delicious skillet meals, sheet-pan suppers, slow-cook dinners, and cozy noodle bowls, these are dishes anyone can make for a weeknight dinner, quick lunch, or easy breakfast.

This updated edition also includes the new Whole30 guidelines, drawing on the latest research and behavior change science. Whether you’re doing your first Whole30 or your fourth, or looking for some gluten-free, dairy-free, fast and easy recipes, this collection is a must-have for any kitchen.

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Thank you NetGalley and for William Marrow for this egalley. All opinions are my own. I was not obligated to leave a review

Peasreads: The Palace Beneath the Sea A Mermaid Fantasy by Lauren Wiesebron

 

The Palace Beneath the Sea. What a GORGEOUS cover that drew me right in. The cover is a good representation of how beautiful this story and world is. The main character, Nolwenn, is a human who is a lighthouse worker. Her family has operated one of the lighthouses and protects the kingdom from sea monsters.  She does her job well and enjoys it. It's a legacy that she's very proud of. The Nolwenn is in her early 20's. This could a YA read also. 

 The world and word building to describe the setting  is beautiful. I loved the description of the Korrrigez. How they communicate, the nuances of how they sing, and express emotions. Their world and relationship with the environment around them is beautiful. The struggle for Nolwenn is, feeling the pull of the underwater world and the world above. This struggle could be felt keenly as the book progressed. Hard decisions were made by Nolwenn, and like her,  I went back and forth on what the best outcome should be. All in all a solid read with beautiful storytelling and a great plot.  I loved the story. The romance was great but not the main point, more of a subplot for me. 

LGBTQIA+

Closed door spice

Description

The acclaimed author of House of Frost and Feathers returns with a sweeping, lyrical novel inspired by a mermaid folktale filled with exploration, love, adventure, and magic.

A GREAT LOVE. A MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM BENEATH THE WAVES. A DEVASTATING BETRAYAL.

A doomed love story created the city of Ys, it’s fitting that another one would end it . . .

Nolwenn is sure that her life’s purpose is to defend her beloved coastal city of Ys as a lighthouse keeper. But when a dangerous, unnatural tide threatens Ys, the queen instead tasks Nolwen with collecting enough rare seasilk to shield the city from the deadly monsters who lurk deep beneath the waves.

Determined to fulfill her task, Nolwenn recklessly puts her life in danger, only to be attacked by the very creatures she’s trying to defend her city against. She’s saved by Morvan, a member of the korrigez people, with the torso of a human and the tail of a fish. Against her will, Morvan drags her deeper into the ocean to the coral palace of Below-Ys. Although Nolwenn is terrified and homesick, Below-Ys is also strange and beautiful…as is Morvan. The more time Nolwenn spends below the surface, the less she is sure she wants to leave.

As danger draws ever nearer to her homeland and Ys remains precariously unprotected, Nolwenn must decide between her heart and her home.

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Thank you, Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Harper Voyager for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Three Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits

 

This was my first time using this recipe. It's from the White Lily Flour website. They were yummy though and tender. They also rose well. They were just a little too salty for me. I will try unsalted butter next time. If that doesn't help, I will go back to my other recipe. That recipe is HERE.

Mushroom Powder

This isn't a recipe. I am sure I've posted this before years ago, if not here on Instagram. This is just dried mushrooms blended into a powder. I use it for added umami for just about any savory dish. Eggrolls, gravy, roasts, sauces, Taco seasoning, fajitas, red sauce.

I know people make seasoning mixes with them and add salt etc. I don't usually do that unless I'm making something like Taco seasoning. I just put it in a Mason jar plain and layer my seasonings as I go when cooking. 

Do you make or use Mushroom Powder? 

Thank you for being here. Have a blessed day.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Egg Rolls- Chả Giò

Vietnamese Rice Paper Egg Rolls, also known as Chả Giò. These egg rolls are wrapped in rice paper wrappers. They are crispy on the outside and the rice paper wrapper is also a little chewy on the inside.  These are great in lettuce wraps, as a side dish, in Vermicelli Noodle Bowls, or as a snack.

Growing up, my parents' very close friends, the Hoang's were like family to us. My "Ma Yoong" who was a wonderful cook, would dip her rice paper in beer. It makes sense that the alcohol evaporates quickly in the hot oil, leaving the egg rolls crispy. I use water with a splash of canned coconut milk and vinegar. Some people use just water. The coconut milk helps them not stick together for me. 

The egg rolls on the top row are made with rice paper wraps after their second fry. The ones in the middle that are golden brown are fried twice with flour spring roll wrappers. The egg rolls in the very bottom row have been fried only once. 

For egg rolls wrapped with the flour spring roll wrappers, you can find that post HERE.

Making sure the veggies are as dry as possible. Squeeze as much liquid out as you can. If the filling is too wet, the water can expand in the fryer, and the egg rolls can split.

I use these Spring Roll plates that are like a flat colander. You can also use a dinner plate. 

The coconut milk really helps with frying in batches; these won't stick together. I just shake the basket after a minute or two.

Egg Rolls (Updated to include rice paper wrappers)

1 bundle of Bean thread/cellophane noodles 

2 pounds ground Pork

2 large carrots

1.5 cups grated taro (optional)

1  medium onion

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons chicken powder

2 teaspoons mushroom powder, unsalted (optional; but very flavorful. I make my own by blending dried mushrooms into a powder)

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 eggs

1/3 cup black fungus, soaked in water until soft

1.5 teaspoons Black or white pepper, ground

Rice paper wrappers (see picture)

To dip the rice paper wrappers: 

Warm water in a shallow plate like a pie plate

2 tablespoons of canned coconut milk (optional; this helps the wrappers to not stick)

1 tablespoon white vinegar (optional)

Oil for frying

1. Soak cellophane noodles in warm water until they are pliable. Then drain very well and cut into approximately one-inch pieces. 
2. Drain and rinse black fungus, if using. Slice.
3. Peel the onion and carrots. Grate them. Then squeeze out as much liquid as you can from them.
4. Place all the ingredients into a bowl. Mix to combine ingredients.
5. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water mixture. Just a quick dip. Place on a plate. 
6.  Place about 1-1.5 tablespoons of filling on a wrapper.  
7. Starting from the bottom, roll up once, covering the filling with the wrapper.
8. Fold the two horizontal sides of the wrapper over the egg roll.
9. Then keep rolling up.
10. Roll the wrapper up and make sure it's sealed. I do two plates at a time. I dip one piece of rice paper and place it on each plate. I wrap one egg roll, dip the next wrapper and place it on the plate so it can soften while I wrap the egg roll on the second plate. 
11. Fry them in hot oil (320*F ) for 5 minutes. Remove from oil and continue frying the rest of the egg rolls. Then turn the oil up to 375*-390* and fry them for another 4 minutes until they are cooked through. Frying them twice makes them extra crispy. If frying in a basket in bigger batches, shake the basket after a couple of minutes to check if there's enough room in your basket to make sure the oil can fry the egg rolls on all sides.
12. Place cooked egg rolls on a cooling rack to drain oil and they stay crispy.

Serve with your favorite sauces, or slice and wrap these up in lettuce with herbs, vegetables, and rice noodles as shown.

• There are so many ways to wrap an egg roll; just make sure it's fairly tight and they are about the same size for even cooking.
• These freeze well with the rice paper wrapper but they need to be fried before freezing. 
• Filling- you can add chicken, ground turkey, shrimp, tofu, shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, green onion, etc to this filling. Add what you like.
• These heat up well in an air fryer. 
• Two types of wrappers:
  
  
  
   

  

  
  

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Vegetarian Egg Rolls

Just egg rolls made with some seitan. They were pretty good, I made these when one of my kids was eating vegetarian. My regular egg roll recipe was easily adapted. 

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Peasreads- Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

Coming July 28, 2026, from Macmillan / Tor / Bramble

Sarah Beth Durst's Spellshop novels are becoming must-reads for me. Sea of Charms is a magical read. It's cozy fantasy that is paced well. The story was interesting, the love story cozy. Marin, the main character, is a supply runner. She loves the sea and her parents took out a loan to gift her with her vessel. Her only goal is to run her supply business well and pay the loan for the ship or she will lose it.  She has deadlines she needs to meet. She loves what she does. She is focused and keeps people at arm's length. Then the revolution happens, and revolutions are messy. During the revolution, people are fleeing the capital and trying to protect what is important to them. Marin learns to open her heart, take risks, and she does what she knows is right in her heart, even if she has to put aside important goals. This book is a five star read for me.

Description
DELUXE EDITION—a gorgeous hardcover edition featuring beautiful cerulean blue sprayed edges!
Sarah Beth Durst brings cozy fantasy romance to the high seas in Sea of Charms, the third magical adventure in the New York Times bestselling Spellshop series!
Marin has always belonged on the great blue sea.
Betrayed by love, Marin lives and works as a supply runner, sailing from island to island, delivering an array of goods with Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub as her crew.
On one of her routine trips to the capital, Alyssium, Marin finds a revolution underway—and her friend Dax in the line of fire.
What starts as a rescue evolves into a deal: Marin will keep Dax on as a member of her crew if he pretends to be her boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival back home.
But against her better judgment, Marin finds herself intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, his charming smile—and realizes that perhaps she isn’t saving him. Maybe it’s the other way around.
Sea of Charms is a cozy fantasy romance about finding your crew, your family, and moreover, finding yourself.
Expect:
Standalone romance
Friends to lovers
Magical creatures
Swimming lessons
l

 

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Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan / Tor / Bramble for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Hunt the Ever Wild by S.E. Kiser

I was surprised by this debut novel. It is magical; the forest is untamed, dangerous, alive, and full of whimsy. The description made it seem like a real magical living thing. I love this kind of fantasy world. The kind that makes you want to visit.

The main characters are Sy and Anya. Sy is a Wizard. He is the male main character. He is indentured to the crown. The king is not a good man, but Sy?  He's so good. He does what good he can, and he still sees the beauty around him. To free him from the king's service, he has to find the phoenix. Anya is the FMC who is capable, smart, and strong. She has survived on her own in the Lichtenwald forest. She is cursed by a witch; there is only one way to break the curse. The witch wants the phoenix. Both Anya and Sy have good reason to hunt the phoenix. Neither can stand to lose. 

It was such an adventure getting through the forest. I loved these two characters; it was hard to side with one or the other since they both so badly needed a win. I was also sad for the phoenix who was being hunted. A must read for fantasy fans. 

HUNT THE EVER WILD, a gothic journey into the heart of an untamed forest

❤️ slow burn rivals-to-lovers ❤️
🌲 wizards, witches, and mystical creatures 🌲
🏹 a competition where everything is at stake 🏹

Description

A gothic standalone combining the gaslamp fantasy of C. L. Polk’s Witchmark with the slow-burn rivals-to-lovers romance of Isa Agajanian's Modern Divination and the whimsy of Howl's Moving Castle.

When the king calls a hunt for the Lichtenwald forest’s elusive phoenix, wizard Sy jumps at the chance. Years ago, he indentured himself to the crown to pay for his magical education, and an unbreakable spell binds him to carry out the king’s every wicked whim, or face certain death. The prize is enough to pay off his debt, but he can’t survive the forest alone. Seeking help, he finds Anya, a skilled huntress living on the Lichtenwald’s edge, and lies about splitting the prize.

But Anya’s lying too. Cursed by a witch after killing her familiar, Anya must find the phoenix and bind it to the witch by the summer solstice, or else suffer a gruesome transformation. With the curse worsening and the Lichtenwald swarming with wizards, she needs Sy on her side – for now.

Neither of them can split the prize, nor win alone. And despite the growing attraction between them, betrayal remains their only option.

But anything is possible in the forest.

And the forest is hungry.

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Thank you Angry Robot Books for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Between a Girl and the Seafoam by Samantha Traunfeld

 

Happy Publishing day to  Samantha Traunfeld

Between a Girl and the Seafoam (Lore of the High Kingdom Book 1)

Genre: Romantic Fantasy (Mermaid / Undersea Fantasy)

 

A sacrificial bride. An undersea king. A love worth drowning for. 🌊

Between a Girl and the Seafoam is a fantasy novella about Aoife. A girl who's fate has been chosen for her since she was young. She is to be wed to an undersea king named Delwyn. She can't stand her village or the villagers. She also doesn't want to get married. Delwyn however can't wait to meet his bride. He's definitely got some golden retriever energy. As they navigate court life. Aoife separating herself from her new husband and his subjects as much as possible. Delwyn running a kingdom that's on the brink of war and trying to win his new wife over, they will have to work together to save everyone. 

All in a good short read, I read it in one day. 

TROPES

🔱 arranged marriage

🔱 hate to love

🔱 grumpy/sunshine

🔱 opposites attract

🔱 forced proximity

CONTENT WARNINGS‼️

Dubious Consent 

Fictional Violence

Mentions of Neglect and Emotional Abuse

Menstruation

Mentions of Self-Harm

Description

A sacrificial bride. A desperate king. Centuries of magic decaying all around them.

Aoife’s fate had been sealed since she was a child, chosen to be the sacrificial bride of the undersea king. As part of a long existing treaty between her people and his, the surface must offer the ocean a bride once every generation, and her groom has come to collect. Content as her village may be to see her gone, Aoife has done nothing but dread the day she would marry, her fate resigned to the murky depths.

Delwyn has waited ages to meet his surface bride. To have the chance to fulfill his role as king as so many generations of his family had before him. But his bride isn’t exactly what he thought she’d be, and winning her over may be a harder task than any he’s faced before.

To make matters worse, the treaty that protected them from the vicious creatures of the shadowed undersea is unraveling, and Aoife and Delwyn are both of their people’s only chance to set things right. If they fail, the world around them may descend back into the darkness.

#arrangedmarriage  #samanthatraunfeld #romanticfantasy #mermaid

@sam.traunfeld @jessbeyondthepages @jbtpauthorservices

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Thank you, @jessbeyondthepages @jbtpauthorservices for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads:Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim

Publication date July 28, 2026.

Fishbone Cinderella follows a family for multiple generations. It weaves in the story of fishbone Cinderella, Ye Xian (Yeh-hsien), a 9th-century Chinese folktale regarded as one of the oldest Cinderella variants. This is a poignant story about love, belonging, mistakes made, finding yourself, and letting others see who you truly are.

Elizabeth Lim's storytelling is descriptive, and her characters are flawed yet real. Throughout the story you can see how our history and experiences can shape us. Lim addresses generational trauma and curses and weaves them into the fabric of each character with care.

There are different settings in the story, from wartorn villages in China and Hong Kong, to city life in those places, to life in America. Lim's portrayal of immigrants settling into life in America tugged on my heartstrings. It reminded me of stories my parents and family have shared about their experiences fleeing from their homes due to war and coming to America. With nothing but the clothing on their backs and the language of their country on their tongues. It was difficult. Heartbreaking at times, but survivors survive. 

This is a beautiful story. 

Description

A mother and daughter must break their family’s curse through trials of war and immigration, love, loss, and redemption in this riveting multi-generational saga with a shimmer of magic, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Forgery of Fate.

1940s Hong Kong

When Japanese soldiers invade her hometown, Ha Yut Ying makes an unlikely escape—by turning invisible. But her miraculous survival is only the beginning. After the war is over, she’s sent to Hong Kong to live with her distant father and glamorous stepmother, who end her dreams of becoming a singer and turn her into the family’s servant. As the years pass, Yut Ying learns the hard truths of betrayal and ambition, of forbidden love and devastating loss, and discovers that sometimes the only way to endure is to disappear.

1960s San Francisco

Marigold has always had a knack for uncovering secrets, but nothing prepares her for the day she accidentally witnesses her mother vanish before her eyes. The moment fractures their bond, leaving questions that shadow her entire childhood. But when her mother’s condition suddenly deteriorates, Marigold is convinced she’s the only person who can save her. To do so, she must journey into the secrets her mother never shared and uncover the tragic, fairytale-tinged history their family has fought to forget.

A story of mother and daughters, the scars they inherit and the magic that binds them, Fishbone Cinderella is a tender and enchanting exploration of what it means, at last, to be seen.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Chili Oil

I  don't have a real recipe for chili oil. I just use what sounds good at that time. Garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, other varieties of peppercorns.  Sometimes I add star anise. It really just depends. I do like to use Avocado oil because it is neutral taste and high smoking point. 
I also heat my spices with the oil. I don't pour hot oil over my spices. This just works better for me. 

Thank you for being here. Have a blessed day.

Peasreads: Isis of Egypt: Goddess of Thrones by Malayna Evans

Four stars for this reimagining of the story of Isis. Malayna Evans has a PhD in Egyption history so her knowledge played a huge part in why I loved this book so much. Her story telling is engaging and interesting. I loved learning the tidbits about so many major and minor Gods. Reading how Isis learned at differnt stages of life to grow, rule, let go, survive, serve, restore, forgive, and to rebuild. 

Description

One determined goddess. Two beloved gods. Three coveted thrones.

Ancient Egypt’s most formidable goddess will stop at nothing to save her true love from the wrath of a vengeful god in this romantic retelling by the author of Neferura, perfect for readers who loved Lilith.

Isis, goddess of thrones and magic, steals the crown of Egypt and hands the power to her husband, Osiris. Together, Isis and Osiris live an idyllic life, ruling justly until the god of chaos, set on revenge for a crime Isis knows nothing about, traps Osiris in a box—a box that quickly vanishes.

Driven by rage and desperation, Isis spends decades disguised as a human woman, isolated from home and family as she searches for her lost love. When she finally uncovers the box, what she finds will change her life—and the fate of gods and mortals—forever. Unless Isis can right the wrongs of a betrayal she didn’t commit and deliver Egypt into the hands of a worthy leader, Egypt will fall into chaos. 

Isis of Egypt: Goddess of Thrones is a feminist retelling about the woman behind one of the ancient world’s most widespread and enduring cults, a goddess whose message of empathy and resilience resonates still today.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own.