About the Book
Fifty years after the Disaster, the world is vastly different from days of old. Wizardry is the norm and magical talent is categorized. Josephine O'Connor, an eighty-four-year-old with a penchant for off-beat antics, is a category six, which means she possesses magical powers as rare as they are unsettling and a talent for psychometry that is so strong and acute that she can read the psychic impressions in a room without touching anything. With her unique physiology, she’s over eighty years of age and still gets carded at R-rated movies. Most of the time it’s flattering but it can sometimes be a nuisance. For the most part, Josephine spends her days like any other retirement community member. She plays cards with friends, attends get-togethers, and occasionally visits the beach until she is called upon by the police to investigate a crime scene left behind by a suspect with powers equal to her own. Now the race is on. Can an out-of-practice wizard marshal her abilities and catch a menace before he becomes so powerful even she can’t stop him?
My Thoughts
I absolutely loved Grumpy Old Wizards! After reading Inheritance, the first book of the Wizards of Seattle series, I was already acquainted with the Disaster and the ensuing wizardry. I easily fell under O'Riley's spell of flawless writing of Josephine's story. The storyline was absolutely engrossing, and I found it incredibly hard to put this book down! With plots, action and intrigue galore, this book was completely captivating! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and am greatly looking forward to reading some more of his work!
If you'd like to read this compelling story as well, you can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/Grumpy-Old-Wizards/dp/1484020855/ref=la_B00BQRNHMO_1_1_twi_pap_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456891602&sr=1-1 #GrumpyOldWizards
0 Comments
Make a statement for St. Paddy's day with a green pistachio bundt cake!
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten 2/3 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 2/3 cups sifted cake flour 1/3 cup unsalted roasted pistachios, finely ground 1 cup superfine sugar 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package Jell-O instant pistachio pudding mix 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to a cool room temperature 1 tablespoon almond extract or 1 tablespoon walnut oil powdered sugar for dusting Prepare a bundt cake pan, line bottom with parchment, grease and flour. In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolks, vanilla extract and 1/4 of the sour cream. Set aside. Sift all dry ingredients and combine using an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Add softened butter and remaining sour cream, continue mixing on low until well combined. Scrape bowl and beat again on medium (med-high for a hand mixer) for another 90 seconds. Scrape the bowl down and in two additions add the egg mixture, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape the bowl one last time and give it a couple pulses. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, (rotate pan 180 degrees after 25 minutes) a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean and the top of the cake will spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes, remove sides of pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar and served with sweetened whipped cream or pistachio ice cream. We have the absolute best peaches here in the Texas Hill Country! These yummy bars are so refreshing during those hot summer months as a perfect cool sweet treat!
1 cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1 (21 ounce) peach pie filling Cheesecake Center: 1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg Glaze: ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp almond extract 1 cup powdered sugar 2 Tbs milk Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Mix until combined. In a medium sized bowl beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg and beat until combined. Grease a 15x10x1 pan or 9×13, whichever one you decide to use. (I used a 9x13 but cooking time will be longer) Spread 3 cups batter in the bottom. Spread the cream cheese layer on top and lastly Spread with pie filling. Drop remaining batter on top of pie filling. Bake at 350 for 25-30 (If using a 9x13 increase time to 35) minutes or until toothpick comes clean. Cool on wire rack. Combine powdered sugar and milk for the glaze and drizzle over the bars. Refrigerate them for 3 hours for easier cutting and to make a nice cool treat! Ye can have some fun with these Drunken Leprechaun Balls this St. Patricks Day! Just make sure the wee ones don't get into them! First you make the green shortbread and crush it. Then you blend with liquors, roll in powdered sugar and refrigerate for a top notch adult treat!
GREEN SHORTBREAD: 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature ¾ cup powdered sugar 1 egg yolk green food coloring 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon milk (if needed) BALLS: 3 cups crushed green shortbread (recipe above) 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup powdered sugar pinch salt 2 tablespoons corn syrup ¼ cup Baileys (or other Irish Cream Liqueur) 2 tablespoons Jamesons (or other whiskey) powdered sugar and green sugar for rolling cookies in SHORTBREAD INSTRUCTIONS Heat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl (use a stand mixer if possible; this is very stiff dough) beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Add egg yolk and enough food coloring to create a deep green color, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl often. Add dry ingredients. (If using a stand mixer, you may want to switch to your dough hook.) The mixture will be very dry and stiff, but should come together into a dough. If it isn't cooperating, add milk a little at a time until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and you can form it into a ball. Roll dough out to about ¼-inch thick and cut into cookie shapes. (You can also form into small balls and press with a cookie stamp if you prefer. ) Place close together on baking sheets and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. If you see a tiny bit of brown along the bottom edges, they are done. Don't overbake them, because green cookies turn an unpleasant color if they brown. Cool cookies on a rack and crush in a bowl until you have 3 cups. Any extra is a free for all! TO MAKE THE BALLS: Combine the crushed cookies, nuts, and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Roll scant tablespoons of dough into balls and roll them in a dish of powdered sugar and colored sugar. Refrigerate until firm. These can be served chilled, which will give them the texture of fudge, or at room temperature, which will make them a little softer. MAKE SURE KIDS DON'T GET A HOLD OF THEM! About the BookSeventeen-year-old Keri Edwards has led a hard life. She is the daughter of the most ruthless Alpha in the territory. In the shadow of cruelty, he molded her to follow in his footsteps. Her father’s unexpected death has freed her and made her the Alpha of a powerful pack. Forced to lie and deceive the people closest to her has led to the rejection of her mate, Blake Stevens. He walked away instead of claiming her. In his eyes she is the one who betrayed him, her actions unforgivable. There is no time to deal with her heartache as she takes on the biggest task of her life, becoming the Alpha she was trained to be. Settling into her new role has dangers, and when Blake appears out of the blue, wanting her as his mate, she can’t trust his motives. Book 2 in the Forever Series My Thoughts It was a true pleasure reading Alpha, the first book in the series. I found Fated to be an even better read! The action was virtually non-stop and kept me gripping my tablet with white knuckles at times! The romance was spicier and there were quite a few moments that my heart ached for the dramatic situations the characters were put into. I was completely compelled to finish this read as fast as I could just to see what would happen next. Without any dull moments, the climax built up layer by layer into an explosive finale with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series so far and I'm excitedly looking forward to the next release from Regan Ure!
If you'd like to read this exciting new release, you can find it here SOON: http://www.amazon.com/Fated-Forever-Book-Regan-Ure-ebook/dp/B01C9V6ZY2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 I'M ALSO HOSTING A PRE-ORDER BLITZ WITH A GIVEAWAY ON MY SITE HERE: http://recipe-fairy.weebly.com/book-tours/fated-by-regan-ure-pre-order-blitz-and-giveaway About the BookSeventeen-year-old Scarlett Hayes is living her life by her own rules. Losing her parents at a young age has made her strong and fiercely independent. She knows exactly who she is and nothing is going to change that. Everything starts to change for her when she moves to a new town. She meets Cade Presley. He is domineering and arrogant which makes her detest him at first sight. She learns a secret that will unravel her perfect life and lead her into a world she never knew existed. Embracing her new life is difficult when it pulls her closer to Cade. Finding out you are destined to be with someone forever is hard to handle especially when you want to throttle them every time you see them. The attraction she feels for him is undeniable and there is no fighting destiny. My Thoughts I was completely caught up in Scarlett's story from the first page. I loved how the mysteries of her life were slowly layered back until a final explosion of action! The writing was well thought out and the romance was very sweet and tantalizing. While somewhat predictable in the very beginning, a few really good twists were thrown in that kept the excitement brewing all the way to the end. I couldn't find a single dull moment and found it very hard to stop reading! I actually read this entire book in one morning and I can't wait to dive into the sequel and see what happens next!
If you'd like to read Alpha as well, you can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Forever-Book-Regan-Ure-ebook/dp/B00Y4FTXQ4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1457991899&sr=8-1 About the Book"Once upon a time, I fell in love. Madly, deeply. With my whole being. I'd do anything for the girl who robbed me of my heart. I tried to save her... But Darkness came. The ban sidhe, Crwys, death herself, wants me for her own. She thinks I am someone from her past, and she will not rest until I submit. I have secrets. Some I can barely live with myself for, and every night I dream of two women. One I cannot save, the other I cannot escape...." --Prince Sylas of Killeagh One prince. One mistake. One... chicken? A twisted retelling of the fairy tale, The Frog Prince, featuring your favorite villain from The Subtle Beauty & Moonlight, Sylas Mortas. What would YOU do for love? 17-year-old Prince Sylas of Killeagh wants what every one else wants: control over his own life. When he tries to run away from home and escape an arranged marriage, the last thing he expects is to fall in love with a robber in the woods. Hiding behind a mask, the robber girl seems to lead a life of freedom Sylas has only dreamed of. Their adventure comes to an end when the Castle Killeagh guards hunt Sylas down and he's forced to return home. He convinces his parents to allow him to find the girl again and consider her as a candidate for marriage, but he only has until the next full moon to find her, or all bets are off. Death has a name, and it is Crwys. As a ban sidhe, her job is to visit the great houses of The Summer Isle and keen out the living to prepare them for death. King Sionnach has far outlived his days and it is time he cross to the Unliving World. When she arrives, a young prince named Sylas intervenes and offers to go in his grandfather's stead. This break with tradition, and selfless sacrifice, move Crwys into loving Sylas, who looks so much like a shadow from her past. But when he crosses her to be with his true love, he invokes the wrath of a woman scorned. Rós is just a little, aura-seeing, red hen whose master believes she is chosen by the gods. Her arrival at King Sionnach's court is insignificant to Sylas at the time, but their destinies are interwoven. Can she help Sylas save himself from the curse Crwys has planned for him? Or will he become a fallen frog prince? In this unexpected love story, Happily Ever After may not always begin with Once Upon a Time. My Thoughts Wow! I was really blown away by this wonderful book! This is definitely Ann Hunter's best one yet. I was completely captivated and found it extremely hard to put this book down. I absolutely love how this story ties in neatly with The Subtle Beauty and Moonlight. I found Sylas's story completely intriguing and my heart really felt for him and his touching story. I though he was some cold monster in the first two books and was pleasantly surprised to find out how....human he was and all of his heartrending trials. The writing was excellent, the descriptions were realistic and the storyline was believable. I thoroughly enjoyed Fallen from start to finish and am eagerly anticipating reading some more of Ann Hunter's books!
If you'd like to read this amazing story too, you can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N9RT7UA?keywords=fallen%20by%20ann%20hunter&qid=1457969128&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 #CrownsoftheTwelve About the Book
Jason wonders if his luck has finally turned around when he discovers he will inherit a luxurious home infused with ancient magic and a sizable fortune from a relative he’d never known existed. Of course, there’s a catch. His younger brother and his cousin will inherit equal parts of the inheritance and it is stipulated in the will that they must live together first before they gain possession of the estate. All three of them are potential White Knights with the rare ability to practice advanced white magic. They must learn to use their new power and defend themselves from a secret organization that is armed with potent, black magic. This novella is the first installment of the Wizards of Seattle series.
My Thoughts
I was completely swept off my feet from start to finish with this intriguing book! With non-stop action, secrets galore and a captivating storyline, I was absolutely engrossed with this spectacular read. A tantalizingly slow reveal of layers of plots just kept building the whole time and as soon as I thought I had things figured out....a new twist would appear! The writing was very good and stayed fresh throughout without a single dull moment. There's quite a cliffhanger at the end that left me flipping through the end pages looking for an excerpt from the next book. Alas, no sneak peek. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this intriguing series after all the fun I had reading this first book!
*I was not paid for this review! I received a free copy for my honest opinion! If you'd like to check out this intriguing series for yourself, you can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/Inheritance-Wizards-Seattle-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00MWZ150A/ref=la_B00BQRNHMO_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1442352375&sr=1-7 #Inheritance
*I was not paid for this review! I received this product free of charge for my honest opinion!
My family loves to go camping! We like to get out there quite a few times a year and rough it in the wild with a tent and minimalist supplies. As much as we like to rough it though, one item we will indulge in is a good sleeping bag! Egoz makes a really nice mummy sleeping bag that is perfect for our next trip!
The Egoz mummy sleeping bag has a 100% polyester outside and a 100% cotton inside that is built to last. This three season sleeping bag is designed to keep you warm down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I loved how plush and comfortable this sleeping bag was! A sturdy zipper on the side goes all the way down to the feet and a velcro closure at the top helps it stay in place when closed. The top of the sleeping bag has a hood like top that has a drawstring that you can adjust to snugly fit around your head. The whole sleeping bag snugly fits around you without letting any cold air in or hot air out.
The whole sleeping bag easily rolls up and fits into a small carrying sack. The sack has a drawstring closure that also doubles as a double backpack type strap. I found the sleeping bag to be very comfortable, yet I do want to warn that it is made only for smaller framed people. My husband was unable to zip it up all the way. Since I'm 6 months pregnant, I was unable to get it zipped up past my belly either. My husband's brother is a bit slimmer and he was able to comfortably fit in it, yet he was a little tall for it. We are not big people! If you're smaller, this is perfect for you. If you're a little taller or slightly heavy, this is definitely not for you. The sleeping bag would be perfect for teens and kids though! If you'd like to get one of these mummy sleeping bags for yourself, they're available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RVIXZDS #egoz
*I was not paid for this review! I received this product free of charge for my honest opinion!
It is a firm belief of mine that you can't ever have too many bags! Functionality goes a long way over prettiness in my book! However, the Gonex Canvas Drawstring Bag is functional as well as nice looking!
The Gonex Bag is made of high intensity, extremely durable 100% cotton and is rugged enough to withstand trooping through the wilderness. It measures 12x9 inches and can hold up to 20 lbs, making it a perfect hiking or travel bag. A very thick durable rope serves as a drawstring as well as the backpack strap for the bag. It's actually surprisingly comfortable to wear and sits nicely over one shoulder. I got mine in the Dark Green color since I'm intending to give it to my husband. He collects army bags and survival gear and this color actually matches the other army bags pretty well. Overall, this bag is very well put together with nice tight stitching and excellent craftsmanship. I love the neat stitched logo near the bottom of the bag and am very impressed with the high quality of the bag itself!
If you'd like to get one of these durable bags for yourself, they're available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014J4L9PC #basketballbackpack |
About MeI'm a Texas gal with a wonderful husband, an amazing six year old son, and an adorable newborn baby boy! Archives
June 2016
Categories
All
Follow Me! |