English Trifle

Goodreads Description:    High Crimes at High Tea

Things to Do in England

Visit Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the London Zoo. Take the Jack the Ripper tour
Sample authentic English scones and crumpets.

Discover a dead body

What begins as a holiday trip for amateur sleuth and cooking aficionado Sadie Hoffmiller and her daughter, Breanna, turns into a bizarre mystery when they discover a dead body in the sitting room of an English manor.

Breanna's boyfriend, Liam, is heir to both the family title and the family estate of Southgate, where everyone seems to have a secret . . . or two.

When the body in the sitting room disappears, Sadie and Breanna are stranded at the estate until the police can clear them to leave. With their departure delayed, they might as well solve the murder.

Armed with a jogging whistle, her personal recipe collection, and an unfailing sense of American justice, Sadie begins her own investigation to find the killer. But as Sadie uncovers layer after layer of misdirection, secrets, and outright lies, she wonders if anyone is telling the truth
Take a missing family history, toss in a secret romance, mix with a mysterious murder, and this is one vacation Sadie will never forget.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a fun clue-like mystery. I don't read many murder mysteries, but I liked this one.

-    It was nice read about a grown woman. I usually read about teenagers, so this was a nice change.

-    I want to bake all sorts of foods now. I just love that there are recipes to a lot of the foods mentioned in the book! I want to try them all!!

-    What are crumpet rings? I cannot even picture what they should look like!

-    I like how curious and stubborn Sadie is, but I would not want her as a neighbor. She would be too nosy!

-    I liked that Breanna was a bigger part of this story. I like her character, but I think she could be developed a bit more. I want to get to know her!

-    I really couldn't figure out everything. There were so many pieces, and none of them seemed to fit together. It takes a while for the whole picture to be seen! The story is really intricate.

-    I wish Liam had been more assertive. He really needs to learn how to take charge.

-    I love that this book took place in England. There were so many fun English things, and it made me want to watch Downton Abbey.

-    The book has some slow parts, but it is worth sticking through til the end.

Previous Book in the Culinary Mystery series

(click on the cover to see my thoughts)

Happy Easter

I hope you have a wonderful holiday today! My family will be busy collecting eggs, going to church, and spending time with family.

We will also be trying to remember this:

Happy Easter!!

Everneath

Goodreads Synopsis:    Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

My Thoughts:

-    Wow! What a journey! I loved this book, and I can't wait to devour Everbound!!

-    I love that this was a take on Hades and Persephone! It was really unique and fresh!

-    I liked how mysterious everything is at the beginning. I just couldn't read fast enough, so I could get all the details and pieces.

-    I felt a lot of emotions throughout the book, but I think anxiety was my constant companion, and it just got worse the farther I got into the story. I also felt sad, anticipated, eager, frustrated, hopeful, and gushy.

-    I love how the story is mostly taking place in the present, but there are parts that jump back to Nikki's past. It was really cool how the author incorporated it all. 

-    I love that Jack called Nikki "Becks". It was heart warming. I loved Jack and Nikki's relationship period! It was so awesome.

-    I feel like I connected with Nikki on several levels. They way she reacted to stuff is a lot how I react to things. It made the book more real for me.

-    I don't know what to think of Cole. I want to hate him so much, but I can't, but I do, but I don't! It's complicated.

-    I really liked Will's character. He was kind of a bum, but he was valuable. I hope we get to see more of him in the future books.

-    The ending is killing me! I feel like screaming! I want to just dive right into the next book, but I think I need to separate myself from this series for a little bit. I can't handle the emotional intensity. 

The Importance of Being Earnest

Goodreads Description:    Oscar Wilde's legendary wit dazzles in The Importance of Being Earnest, one of the greatest and most popular works of drama to emerge from Victorian England. A light-hearted satire of the absurdity of all forms and conventions, this comic masterpiece features an unforgettable cast of characters who, as critic Max Beerbohm observed, "speak a kind of beautiful nonsense - the language of high comedy, twisted into fantasy."

This collection also includes Oscar Wilde's most famous comedies: Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, and An Ideal Husband, as well as his poetic tragedy Salomé - all written between 1891 and 1895, Wilde's most creative period. George Bernard Shaw said of Oscar Wilde that he is "our most thorough playwright. He plays with everything: with wit, with philosophy, with drama, with actors and audience, with the whole theater."

My Thoughts on The Importance of Being Earnest:

-    The movie adaption of this was kinda corny, but I found the play quite humorous! I liked it a lot better!

-    Algernon is funny. He is very clever and witty. Sometimes he can be a bit egotistical, but I like his character.

-    Cecily is such a dreamer! I can't believe she isn't embarrassed by some of the things she has in her diary. I would never let anyone read my journal, let alone a diary like the one Cecily keeps.    

-    Jack and Algernon's bickering is hilarious! I loved the part with the muffins. Now I want some muffins! 

-    There is line in the play that Gene Wilder uses in Willy Wonka! I didn't know it came from this play! If you've read this, do you know which line I'm talking about?

-    Overall, I really enjoyed this play, and I think I need to go re-watch the movie now. I think I'd appreciate it more.

My Thoughts on Lady Windermere's Fan:

-    There are too many characters in this play. It was hard to keep track of who was who. I still understood the play, but I think they could have cut a few people out.

-    This was an interesting play with a bit of suspence.

-    I would like to see this on the stage.

My Thoughts on A Woman of No Importance:

-    The beginning is very boring! They just speak of politics and other random topics!

-    In fact the whole play is just blah blah blah!

-    There were WAY too many characters. I had no idea who was who.

-    There was a couple lines that were from The Importance of Being Earnest. Oscar Wilde must have really liked those bits of dialogue.

I got burned out of plays after reading these 3, so I didn't read the last 2. I'll get to them some day.

Thirstday

Thirstday is the new Thursday!  A beverage and a book!

I found this Meme on Maestra Amanda's Bookshelf, and it is hosted by Eat the Book.

This week, I attempted to read Going Vintage, and I indulged in a Strawberry Lemonade from Sonic. 

I also enjoyed Everneath by Brodi Ashton while drinking some 100% cranberry juice. It is perky stuff! 

This morning I'm reading English Trifle by Josi S. Kilpack while drinking my usual Hot Cocoa!

What are you reading and drinking?

Cinderella

My Thoughts:

-    I remember when this aired on TV. My family recorded it...on our VCR!

-    This was a light, happy, and silly movie with quite the cast lineup! 

-    This is the 2nd remake of this? Where are the other 2?

-    Is that really Whitney's hair?

-    How did a black woman and a white guy have an Asian son?

-    Brandy has an airy/rasp voice that I like, but at times it gets a bit whiny.

-    I liked how the prince and Cinderella had an encounter in the town. It was still insta-love, but at least they had more than 1 meeting.

-    The dances at the ball looked boring before Cinderella arrived.

-    I like the prince's voice. I usually don't like tenors as much, but his was nice.

-    Brandy's braids are too perfect.

-    Lionel was some fun slap stick.

-    All the ladies have crazy socks.

-    Too bad Whitney ruined her voice.

-    The songs were good. I liked the music.

-    Bernadette Peters was fantastic!

Hubby's Thoughts:

-    Their house looks like it could be a candy shop.

-    The step mom is more attractive than her daughters.

Tyson's Thoughts:

-    That prince has jungle fever!

-    I don't know if Brandy is attractive or not. She has nice skin but somethings off.

-    Ah! Whoopi Goldberg! You're golden!

-    The step mom is more attractive than her daughters.

-    Whitney's hair looks like a fern.

-    I like the fairy godmother dress. It's so shiny and smooth.

-    I like that blue dress.

-    Whoopi seems like she'd be fun to hang out with.

-    You think Cinderella smells like pumpkin after sitting in that coach?

-    I wonder if kissing Cinderella would taste like chocolate.

-    This was enjoyable. It was the better Rodgers and Hammerstein.

-    Jason Alexander just didn't fit for me.

-    There's some bass in that tenor. It sounds kind of stringy. I don't know what I'm talking about.

Poor Templeton

Our little boy has passed away. He got fleas, and we took care of them, but ever since then his health has been declining. He got a tumor, and he was in severe pain for a few days. It got bad enough that we decided to put him down. I'll spare you the gross and sad details. 

I'll miss out poor little guy.

He was a very sweet and timid boy. I don't think we've had a rodent this sweet since Mr. Nibbles. He was affectionate, and loved Pooh crackers. Gnome loved him. She loved to put him in a blanket and watch him find his way out. She also enjoyed feeding him...excessively. He didn't like to walk on the wood floor. He was only comfortable on the rug, on the couch, or in his cage. He loved being under blankets. He was super cute! 

I felt prepared for him to pass, but I'm still very sad. We need to stop buying rodents. It is too hard to see them go so quickly. 

Scarlet

Goodreads Synopsis:    The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Thoughts:

-    Marvelous from beginning to end! I LOVE this book!

-    I kept picturing Scarlet as Red Riding Hood from Once Upon a Time...a red head version.

-    The story is so well thought out! It is so intricate but not confusing. I love how all the pieces came together and the two stories fit together!

-    The writing was really good. I like the way things were said, and I liked the word choice. Marissa Meyer is really good at storytelling and writing!

-    I really liked how different chapters were from different perspectives, and we got to get bits and pieces of the whole story. It was really well done and clever.

-    Each character was so amazing in their roles! I liked seeing the old characters from Cinder, but I loved all the new additions.

-    I liked Wolf a lot. He was like a mix of Four from Divergent and Wolf from The Tenth Kingdom. I loved it! He might just be my new literature heartthrob.

-    I was so hooked all the way through the book. It gives you just enough anticipation and info to keep to you intrigued and dying to find out what happens next!

-    This is one of those stories I had to know what happens, but I'm so sad it ended! This book has really picked up the momentum for the story!! I am eagerly awaiting the next book!!!

Previous Lunar Chronicles Book

(click on the cover to see my thoughts)

Bloggiesta Wrap-UP

Well, I had a fun bloggiesta weekend! I met a few new bloggers! I focused a lot more on the social aspect of bloggiesta this time around, and I had a lot of fun. I love meeting new people!

I finished a few goals, and I'm happy with the direction my blog is heading.

After a few Twitter Parties, I decided to post more personal posts and be more picky about which blogs I follow. I'm no longer going to just follow a blog cause it looks pretty. I'm going to try to connect to the person behind the blog! 

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog for the first time! I hope we can become great blogger buddies! I will try to visit and comment on your blogs in return!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

My Thoughts:

-    Another John Hughes hit!! This movie was hilarious!!

-    I don't like John Candy with a mustache. It looks weird.

-    I love Steve Martin's hat! It is very classy.

-    Kevin Bacon had a small role in this movie, it was kinda weird.

-    This kinda reminds me of Tommy Boy.

-    Neal's wife looks way younger than him, and her face looks razor sharp.

-    I was wondering why this was rated R. There is nothing in it except Neal's rant. There is an f-bomb every other word! Other than that, it's clean.

-    Oh, there are a few dirty jokes.

-    John Candy's boogie in the car is hilariously funny!

-    I love John Candy's laugh. It is so unique.

-    I can't believe Del passed off shower rings as earrings! He is a master salesman!! 

-    Steven Martin and John Candy are fantastic together. 

-    The best part of the movie is when they squeeze between the two semi's! I almost busted a gut!! 

Hubby's Thoughts:

-    It was a good movie.

-    It ended sappy and happy.

Tyson's Thoughts:

-    John Candy is fantastic!

-    The car burning was excellent.

-    I enjoyed the movie.

-    If Dave and I got lost, our trip would be like that.