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Win THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK by Mary Kay Andrews!

May 4, 2017

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Easy, Breezy Recipes with a Southern Accent

I love Mary Kay’s novels and I know she’s one of the great Southern cooks, so I was thrilled to learn she was working on a cookbook. It turned out to be a cookbook to treasure!

Make sure you read this entire post – find out how to win your own copy, there’s a recipe for you to try, a list of places you can meet Mary Kay, and of course, my review.

From the publisher:

You don’t have to own a beach house to enjoy Mary Kay Andrews’ recipes. All you need is an appetite for delicious, casual dishes, cooked with the best fresh, local ingredients and presented with the breezy flair that make Mary Kay Andrews’ novels a summertime favorite at the beach.

From an early spring dinner of cherry balsamic-glazed pork medallions and bacon-kissed Brussels sprouts to Fourth of July buttermilk-brined fried chicken, potato salad, and pudding parfaits to her New Year’s Day Open House menu of roast oysters, home-cured gravlax, grits ‘n’ greens casserole, and lemon-cream cheese pound cake, this cookbook will supply ideas for menus and recipes designed to put you in a permanently carefree, coastal state of mind all year long.

I’ve been following Mary Kay on Facebook for years, and she shares a lot of recipes and pictures of her beautiful food. To have it all gathered together (with lots more) is a real gift. The paper is quite nice and the pictures are inspirational.

The book is divided into meals/holidays:

The chapters:

Summer Solstice Dinner
Low Country Boil
Fourth of July Dinner
Lazy Weekend Brunch
Beach Picnic
Book Bash Cocktail Party
After a Day at the Beach
Catch of the Day
Full Moon Party
Game Day Dinner
Souper Supper
Thanksgiving at the Beach
Christmas Brunch
New Year’s Day Open House
Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Dinner
Easter Lunch
Epilogue: And Then There Were Biscuits

The “Summer Solstice” is the first chapter and a fantastic beginning. I’ve been making “Beyond the Grave Chicken Salad” since I read about it in Little Bitty Lies. I’m pretty sure that a good southern gal like Mary Kay most likely uses Duke mayo, but I’m a Hellman’s girl and it works beautifully. I tried the “Tomato Pie” a few weeks ago when I got an overwhelming pile of heirloom tomatoes from my CSA, and it was to die for! If you live anywhere besides Florida, you are coming into tomato season so try and remember to make this. Pimento cheese has become a trend, and I’ve made a few different recipes so I had to try Mary Kay’s “Ritualistic Pimento Cheese.” It made a killer grilled cheese sandwich.

The “Low Country Boil” has some great recipes, and again my CSA to the rescue for Fried Okra Cakes. Like Mary Kay, I’m not a big okra fan but this dish made a convert out of me. I have to try the “Peach and Berry Cobbler” soon, Florida peaches are starting to come in and berries are already here. The “Fourth of July” recipes include “Edna’s Potato Salad” which is a simple recipe and a real crowd pleaser. The “Lazy Weekend Brunch” has a terrific recipe for “Pig Candy” – really! It’s candied bacon with a healthy dash of cayenne and some dry mustard that makes it really stand out.

The “Book Bash Cocktail Party” includes a great recipe for “Smoked Trout Dip.” We love any kind of smoked fish dip and this is a real standout with fresh dill, chives, and some prepared horseradish. The “Marinated Beef Tenderloin with Fig Onion Jam” is another winner – that jam is to die for! I haven’t attempted the “Dark Chocolate-Dipped Cheesecake Bites,” (they sound too dangerous to have at home) so the next office pot luck will be the recipient of these goodies. The “Full Moon Party” includes a super easy recipe for “Cheesy Beer Bread,” and in my house any recipe with cheese is a sure thing. I am waiting for our next backyard cookout to try “Boy Howdy Baked Beans” with maple bacon and bourbon – Yum! I could go on for days but I will end here with the classic, Southern “Shrimp and Grits” from the “Christmas Brunch” chapter and let me tell you, this is simply divine and a true Christmas gift. Follow that up with a “Coconut-Rum Fruit Salad,” (although I will not buy jarred citrus – I live in Florida, it’s probably illegal here!) for a light, slightly boozy dessert.

Now for that promised recipe!

Downloadable version of this recipe: Mary Kay Andrews Recipe

To win a copy of THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK by Mary Kay Andrews PLUS the new paperback edition of The Weekenders, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK” as the subject.

You must include your U.S. street address in your email.

All entries must be received by May 14, 2017. One (1) name will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. Your books will be sent by the publicist.

One entry per email address. Subscribers to the monthly newsletter earn an extra entry into every contest. Follow this blog to earn another entry into every contest. Winners may win only one time per year (365 days) for contests with prizes of more than one book. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MARY KAY ANDREWS is the New York Times bestselling author of 24 novels, including The Weekenders, Beach Town, Save the Date, Ladies’ Night, Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Blue Christmas, Savannah Breeze, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies, and Savannah Blues. A former features writer for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, she finds an outlet for her passion for cooking, entertaining, and decorating with vintage finds at the homes she shares in Atlanta and Tybee Island, Georgia, with her husband, Tom, and their two grown children, Katie and Andy, as well as grandchildren Molly and Griffin. THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK is her first cookbook.

Connect with MKA online here:

Website: http://marykayandrews.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marykayandrewsauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marykayandrews/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mkayandrews

Meet Mary Kay!

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Cookbook, Nonfiction | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

THE RED HUNTER by Lisa Unger

May 2, 2017

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Two women and their interwoven story lines come together in the latest from thriller writer extraordinaire, Lisa Unger.

Claudia and Ayers are happily married and trying to get pregnant when an intruder rips their lives apart. Claudia is raped, and a month later is pregnant but determined to get on with her life. But the marriage falls apart and eventually Claudia and her daughter move out to an old farmhouse she inherits. The place is literally falling apart, and Claudia decides to renovate the property and blog about it, mistakes and all.

Zoey Drake was a teenager when her family suffered a home invasion. Her father was a cop and the men who attacked them were after some money. He denied any knowledge of it, and the family was tortured and left for dead. The men were never caught.

Somehow Zoey survived, and her uncle raised her, bringing her to adulthood a strong – very strong – woman. Zoey studied martial arts and eventually decides to seek her own justice.

This is a story about women who refuse to be beaten down and instead, rise up to the challenges of life. The characters are so relateable that the reader can’t help but be drawn in, making the book unputdownable until the stunning ending. If you haven’t read Lisa Unger, this standalone thriller is a terrific place to start.

5/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE RED HUNTER by Lisa Unger. Touchstone (April 25, 2017)). ISBN 978-1501101670. 368p.

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Win the May ’17 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

May 1, 2017

Welcome to the May bookshelf of signed thrillers! Lots of new books to win – some favorite authors or find a new author. To enter, go to the Win Books page. Best of luck!

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PRICE OF DUTY by Dale Brown: When Russia constructs its most dangerous weapon since the atomic bomb and launches carefully plotted attacks on unsuspecting U.S. and European targets, Brad McLanahan and his Scion team arm themselves with the world’s most advanced technological weaponry to prevent a full-scale cyber war.

THE FALLEN by Eric Van Lustbader:When the Testament of Lucifer is discovered in a Lebanese mountain cave, Gnostic Observatine sect leader Bravo Shaw, his sister Emma and Fra Leoni become the world’s defenders against the devil’s advance guard and an End of Days plot to enslave the human race.

DYING BREATH by Heather Graham: Special Agent Griffin Price is on the case for the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI’s special unit for paranormal investigators in the 21st book of this exciting favorite series!

THE SECRET ROOM by Sandra Block: Sandra Block returns with her third engrossing novel of psychological suspense featuring psychiatrist Zoe Goldman.

A TWISTED VENGEANCE by Candace Robb: As the fourteenth century comes to a close, York seethes on the brink of civil war―and young widow Kate Clifford, struggling to keep her businesses afloat, realizes that her mother is harboring a dangerous secret…

REUNITED WITH THE P.I. by Anna J. Stewart: In this Honor Bound romance, a perilous change of heart looms for two former lovers…

THE GOOD BYLINE by Jill Orr: Riley just wants to write obituaries, but when her first assignment is the death of a childhood friend, mystery ensues.

DANGEROUS ENDS by Alex Segura: Fast-paced, hardboiled and surprising, Dangerous Ends pushes Pete Fernandez into a battle with a deadlier, more complex threat, as he tries to shake off the demons haunting Miami’s own, sordid past.

You can win autographed copies of all these books! If you are new to the site, each month I run a contest in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers organization. We put together a list of books from debut authors to bestsellers, so you can win some of your favorites and find some new favorites.

What makes this contest really special is that all of the books (except eBooks) are signed by the author! Books with multiple authors will be signed by at least one of the authors.

Penguin Random House books for giveaway were provided by the publisher. #PRHpartner

Don’t forget, if you subscribe to the newsletter or follow this blog, you get an extra entry into every contest you enter. Check out the Win Books page for more information on all these books and how you to enter this month’s contest.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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Author Spotlight on: Abbi Waxman

April 30, 2017

How working in advertising helped me as a novelist | Abbi Waxman – Author Abbi Waxman (THE GARDEN OF SMALL BEGINNINGS) discusses the writing lessons she learned from years working as an ad copywriter.

About the book

THE GARDEN OF SMALL BEGINNINGS by Abbi Waxman

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In the spirit of A Man Called Ove and Good Grief—a poignant, funny, and utterly believable novel about life and loss.

Give grief a chance . . .

Lilian Girvan has been a single mother for three years—ever since her husband died in a car accident. One mental breakdown and some random suicidal thoughts later, she’s just starting to get the hang of this widow thing. She can now get her two girls to school, show up to work, and watch TV like a pro. The only problem is she’s becoming overwhelmed with being underwhelmed.

At least her textbook illustrating job has some perks—like actually being called upon to draw whale genitalia. Oh, and there’s that vegetable-gardening class her boss signed her up for. Apparently, being the chosen illustrator for a series of boutique vegetable guides means getting your hands dirty, literally. Wallowing around in compost on a Saturday morning can’t be much worse than wallowing around in pajamas and self-pity.

After recruiting her kids and insanely supportive sister to join her, Lilian shows up at the Los Angeles botanical garden feeling out of her element. But what she’ll soon discover—with the help of a patient instructor and a quirky group of gardeners—is that into every life a little sun must shine, whether you want it to or not…

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Author Spotlight on: Jeffrey Tambor

April 28, 2017

Jeffrey Tambor interviewed by his children | The Tambor Family Show – Respected thespian Jeffrey Tambor is interviewed by his children in the first and last episode of The Tambor Family Show. Topics include his storied career and his new book, ARE YOU ANYBODY?

About the book

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ARE YOU ANYBODY? by Jeffrey Tambor

It’s rare that an actor embodies even one memorable character over the arc of a career. Jeffrey Tambor has managed to create three, beginning with Hank “Hey Now!” Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show, the series created by Garry Shandling, Jeffrey’s first mentor in television. He went on to find two more show creators, Mitch Hurwitz of Arrested Development and Jill Soloway of Transparent, who shared a love of actors and taught him a lot about acting along the way.

Are You Anybody? is Tambor’s chance to discuss his creative process and immense accomplishments from a life lived onscreen. Drawing from his formative childhood years, in which he describes himself as a fat Hungarian-Jewish kid with a lisp and a depressive father to how he drew inspiration from his life to create these characters, Tambor’s memoir is funny, insightful, and uplifting, touching on comedy and the enduring chutzpah required to make it through life.

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MY NOT SO PERFECT LIFE by Sophie Kinsella

April 27, 2017

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Kate Brenner is from Somerset, England, a small farming town. But she’s always dreamed of moving to London and finally does, landing an entry level position in a marketing company. Rents are super high, so she has a tiny bedroom in a shared apartment. But she is determined to make it and her Instagram feed is a reflection of the life she wants, rather than the life she lives.

Demeter runs the department and is a scatterbrained leader, whose staff feels bullied at unappreciated. When she asks Kate to get rid of Alex, a guy waiting to see her, Kate falls for him – until she finds out he is having an affair with Demeter. And then Kate gets fired.

She moves home to the farm, where her stepmother has a bit of money and wants to start a glamping business. Kate helps, creates a website and brochure and the business takes off. And then Demeter shows up. Kate gets her revenge but also finds out she really likes Demeter, and her Instagram life is not as perfect as it looks, either.

This was a bit slow at the beginning for me but once I got into it I raced through the rest. The characters were quirky, and the storyline had enough angst and even some suspense to make it interesting. If you like Jane Green, Emily Giffin or Helen Fielding, or you ‘re just looking for a fun read, look no further.

4/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

MY NOT SO PERFECT LIFE by Sophie Kinsella. The Dial Press (February 7, 2017). ISBN: 978-0812998269. 448p.

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A WEDDING IN ITALY by Tilly Tennant

April 26, 2017

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From Italy with Love, Book 2

A feel good summer holiday romance

I don’t usually read series in order with romances because it generally doesn’t matter. But I was lost with this book. I finished it and went back to the beginning to see if I could find the part I somehow missed. It wasn’t until I went on Amazon and saw that this was book 2 of a series that I realized what I missed was the first book!

Setting aside my confusion, I didn’t love this book. I love Italy, would live there if I could, just like Kate, our protagonist. She’s moved to Rome from the UK after a divorce and meets and falls in love with Allessandro. They were talking about marriage from the very beginning of the book, which was baffling, but again most likely because I didn’t read the first book.

I don’t mean to be repetitious here. Here’s the synopsis from the publisher:

Sun, spaghetti and sparkling prosecco. When it comes to finding love, there’s no place like Rome…

Kate is living the dream with her gorgeous boyfriend Alessandro in his native city, but the reality is sometimes a little less romantic than she’d hoped. Every day in her new home is a fight against leaking pipes, her cantankerous landlord and her less-than-perfect grasp of the Italian lingo.

All around her there is talk of weddings, but when a secret from her past is thrust out into the open, Kate must fight to prove to Alessandro’s Mamma – and the rest of his formidable family – that she truly is Italian marriage material.

With the women in Alessandro’s life on a mission to break them apart, the cracks begin to show and Kate starts to question if Alessandro really is the man of her dreams. Can love and the city of romance conquer all, or is that just a fairy-tale?

Let Rome steal your heart this summer in this gorgeously romantic escapist read.

While Rome didn’t steal my heart (Sicily did 35 years ago) I could still appreciate the charm here. There wasn’t enough tension to qualify anything as a secret until the last part of the book. Allessandro and his big, crazy family were wonderful, but Kate was strongly in need of some assertiveness training so I found her a bit annoying.

All in all, I didn’t love this book enough to bother finding the first one to get the beginning of the story. If you read the first one, have at this one. If not, don’t bother.

4/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

A WEDDING IN ITALY by Tilly Tennant. Bookouture (March 22, 2017). ISBN: 978-1786811677. 328p.

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GONE WITHOUT A TRACE by Mary Torjussen

April 25, 2017

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After a day trip for work, Hannah returns home to find that her boyfriend, Matt, has left her. Not only has he left her, he’s stripped their shared home of any and every item he brought to it: his dvds and cds are gone and Hannah’s previously packed away books have replaced them on the shelves. His art is missing from the walls. Even the comforter and sheets, his before they were together, have been replaced on the bed. But the worst part? Every trace of Matt has been removed from Hannah’s phone, tablet, and social media – no contact information remains, no texts between the two of them, and every photo of Matt has been deleted.

Hurt and confused, Hannah becomes determined to try and find out what happened – why Matt left her and where he’s gone. But as the days and weeks become months, Hannah becomes convinced Matt is following her, sneaking back into their home and leaving messages on her phone. But why? Why would he leave? And why would he torment her so?

Mary Torjussen’s debut is a twisty psychological thriller that begs the question – just how far would you go to get answers if the person you loved most left you? It begs other questions, too, but those would give too much away.

Hannah is understandably devastated to find that Matt has left her. To her mind, everything had been going great between the two of them. Work was looking up too, but that begins to fall apart as well as she tries to find answers.

As a reader, given the information that Torjussen conveys through Hannah, all kinds of possibilities crossed my mind. Was Matt behind the messages in the first place? Did he leave willingly? And most importantly, what’s missing from this story?

I did not see the end coming. The clues are there, but I didn’t guess at all. Torjussen builds a story that is packed with tension, so much so that getting through it is both frustrating and thrilling. And worth it.

4/17 Becky LeJeune

GONE WITHOUT A TRACE by Mary Torjussen. Berkley (April 18, 2017). ISBN 978-0399585012. 352p.

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4 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Thriller | Permalink
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DEVIL IN SPRING by Lisa Kleypas

April 24, 2017

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The Ravenels, Book 3

This is the third book in the series and I was all excited, thinking I had read the first two but quickly realized I had not. So I put it down, and luckily found the second book on the shelf at my library. So finally I have read all the books in a series in order! Well, at least the first three.

Lady Pandora Ravenel is a twin to Cassandra, and this is their season. Cassandra would like to meet a titled gentleman and marry. Pandora is completely opposed to the idea, but loves her sister enough to go along with it all.

Pandora is an odd duck. She has some health issues regarding night vision, balance and hearing, but that is not all. She is an inventor of board games, and her brother-in-law, Winterbourne, has agreed to stock her new games in his large department store for Christmas. But if she marries, she won’t be able to work, won’t be able to sign a contract or do anything without her husband’s express permission and Pandora is simply not interested in giving up all her rights.

Pandora and Cassandra attend balls, with Pandora usually faking injuries to avoid dancing. Instead she sits in the corner, a happy wallflower, simply observing. Until a friend begs her to do a favor – go out to the summer house and find the earring she lost during a rendezvous. Pandora nervously agrees, but when she finds the earring behind an ornately carved settee, she gets herself stuck in the carvings.

Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, is passing by and hears her cries for help. As he tries to disentangle the girl, the host of the party appears, and Pandora and Gabriel are caught alone in a very compromising position in the summerhouse. The host demands that Gabriel marry the girl as her reputation is now ruined, but Pandora is not having it. He may be the catch of London, heir to a dukedom, but she is not interested. And he doesn’t know her, other than the fact she is a bit peculiar.

The families decide to spend a week together and Pandora’s guardian swears he will not force her into marriage. She feels guilty because is she refuses, it will hurt her sister’s chances of marrying well. And the Duke is concerned because he needs a more traditional wife. But you can’t always plan these things, sometimes fate steps in and works its magic, as is the case here.

I loved the subplot about the first woman doctor in England, that was a definite bonus for me. I read the second book in this series, then the next day read this one. I have to say that this is turning into one of my favorite series!

4/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DEVIL IN SPRING by Lisa Kleypas. Avon (February 21, 2017). ISBN 978-0062371874. 384p.

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THE LAST NIGHT AT TREMORE BEACH by Mikel Santiago

April 23, 2017

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Peter Harper, a well known and awarded composer, is experiencing what could be devastating writer’s block. Brought on in part by his recent divorce. Given everything, a vacation is definitely in order, and an isolated beach house on the coast of Ireland seems to be the perfect thing.

And it is, until Peter is struck by lightning one summer night. From that moment on, Peter suffers painful headaches and terrible nightmares. But these aren’t ordinary nightmares by any stretch. Peter experiences them as if they’re real, waking abruptly to find himself acting out the very actions he’s been dreaming. Peter knows something is very wrong, but his greatest fear is that the dreams are more than just dreams and that he could become a danger to the people he cares about.

Mikel Santiago’s debut is fabulous. Perfectly atmospheric and excellently chilling.

In Peter Harper, Santiago has built a character who is on the verge of a meltdown already. He’s separated from his family, and he’s unable to pen any new music worth anything. Music is his livelihood and his family is his everything.

Things are looking up regarding the latter, however. Peter’s kids are set to visit him at his rental soon and it’s a visit he’s been looking forward to with great anticipation. Even getting struck by lightening doesn’t put a damper on that. At least not until the dreams begin.

The dreams are threatening, at the very least, his sanity. Even those who know him best are worried. And from the moment his kids arrive, all of Peter’s energy is spent ensuring their safety. His greatest fear is that he’ll be some sort of threat to his own kids and that makes him an incredibly easy character to sympathize with.

As we root for Peter, in hopes he’ll find answers and that all will be ok, the mystery behind the dreams drives the story to an almost frenetic pacing. The result is an irresistible page-turner of a tale – the kind I’d recommend carving out enough time to read in one sitting.

Highly recommended – I can’t wait to see more from this author.

4/17 Becky LeJeune

THE LAST NIGHT AT TREMORE BEACH by Mikel Santiago. Atria Books (February 14, 2017). ISBN 978-1501102240. 320p.

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