This post contains affiliate links. I will be compensated for purchases made through those links at no additional cost to you. All views expressed are my own. Thank you for your support. Hey, Alicia back again with another What to Read Wednesdays post for you. I was basically on vacation for the last month or sick so my mom stepped in for me. (Thanks Mom!) This month I have a book that we featured on our podcast awhile back but I want to recommend again: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. What to Read Wednesdays: Crazy Rich AsiansThis novel is a fun and exciting look into the lives of people with so much money they could probably use it as toilet paper (they don't). It takes place in Singapore and follows a few rich families and Rachel Chu an ABC (American Born Chinese) as the book puts it, who is dating Nick Young, son in one of the richest families in Singapore. Rachel is thrust into Nick's world when he decides to bring her home for the wedding of his best friend, but doesn't warn Rachel beforehand about the amount of wealth his family has. Hilarity and drama ensue as the gossip around Rachel spreads and Nick's mom, Eleanor tries to convince Nick he can't marry someone so below his station. While Rachel and Nick are the main focus of the story, one thing I really like about the book is that the story is told from different character's perspectives. In addition to Nick and Rachel, we also see things from Eleanor, Astrid (Nick's cousin), and Eddie (Nick's other cousin). It's interesting to see how the wealth plays into each of their lives and affects their choices. While some are trying to keep up appearances, others try to hide their privilege. The character development in the story is excellent our main characters are pretty well fleshed out and suck you into the story. Another thing I love is the language and slang thrown into the story, and translated in footnotes. It's only translated once so you've got to remember what the words mean. They are from various languages including Malay, Hokkien, & Cantonese. Crazy Rich Asians is one of those books that when you finish it you immediately want more. As soon as I finished, I went on Amazon and bought the other two books in the series. And with a sequel to the movie in the works, you might want to do the same. The books are a fun look into a different world and culture. They're also a fast read perfect for an airplane ride or reading before bed. Kevin Kwan is actually from Singapore and many of the scenes and characters are based on people he knew growing up. The idea for the novel came when he was reminiscing with his father about their days in Singapore (they moved to the states when he was about 11). He says his intention was to "introduce a contemporary Asia to a North American audience." <via> It's a brilliant novel that you've probably heard about, maybe even seen the movie, but now I'm telling you to go read it. Crazy Rich Asians is fantastic. So have you read it? Or will you be reading it soon? Let us know in the comments below!
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This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you. All opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for your support. We thought that for today, April Fool's Day, we would share this great post from Alicia again! Enjoy! Raise your hand if you hate how quickly your laundry piles up and your dishes. Or how even though you just cleaned the shower it needs another cleaning. It's not that I hate cleaning, I hate how little time I get to spend enjoying the fruits of my labor. That's why I've got these easy, almost no-effort tips to help you keep your abode looking pristine. Tip #1 Say No to the Dishes Isn't it the worst to have dirty dishes in your sink and on your counters? I have two options for you here:
Tip #2 Make No Walk Zones You know how there are no fly zones? Keep your freshly cleaned rooms of your house clean by banning people from entering them.
Tip #3 Keep Your Showers Fresh ...And your tubs! Soap scum is the devil and it sneaks up on you if you aren't careful, but it won't be a problem if the soap never touches the surface to make scum on...
There you have it, three no effort tips to help you keep your house sparkling clean!
Let me know how these work for you and I hope you all have an amazing April Fool's Day. This post contains affiliate links. I will be compensated for purchases made through those links at no additional cost to you. All views expressed are my own. Thank you for your support! You might be rolling your eyes that I'm recommending Harry Potter to you. It's only one of the most insanely popular book series of all time, it spawned 10 movies now, a musical parody, countless merchandise, and clubs in colleges across the world who try to play their own version of quidditch. You've probably already read it or are refusing to read it. But how could I not recommend to you one of my favorite book series of all time? And when you strip away all the fanfare that surrounds the books they still hold up as amazing books and stories. Harry Potter books are always worth a reread. And don't forget about those young kids in your life who have yet to experience the magical joy of Harry Potter. I was in 3rd grade when I read the first one and it has stuck with me since. The first book in my collection is paperback and it's starting to fall apart from use. In case you don't know about Harry Potter, it was first published in the UK in 1997. Written by JK Rowling, she tells us the story of a boy who lives in an abusive home with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. One day he discovers he's a wizard (this explains all the strange things that have happened around him), and he will be going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Over the course of his time at Hogwarts he has many adventures with his friends Ron and Hermione, and unravels the truth about his past that will be essential to saving not only the wizarding world but the entire world from the dark wizard Voldemort. Honestly, my synopsis is so inadequate to describe the books. They are worth a read or reread. They're great for kids and adults alike. They explore human nature and the fight between good and evil in this world. Harry Potter is more than a fantasy novel series. It's a classic on par with The Lord of the Rings. (Yeah I said it). And now there are illustrated unabridged versions coming out! So you can immerse yourself or your kids/grandkids even more fully in the Harry Potter world while you read. Alternatively, the books are read by Jim Dale on the audiotape version. And everyone loves the way he reads Harry Potter. Some people have even taken to only listening to them because he does such a great job! So if you haven't listened to them you might like to try that out as well. If you sign up for Audible on Amazon you can get 2 books for free! And don't forget the movies! They're such well done movies and it's always fun to compare them to the books. In fact, this month we're comparing the second Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, to it's movie adaptation on From Cover to Reel. The episode should be out soon (hopefully tomorrow but if not then Friday). So what do you think? Will you be giving the Harry Potter books another read (or a read for the first time)? Have you read them before? What was your first introduction to the books? Let us know in the comments below!
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you. All opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for your support.
This week for What to Read Wednesdays I've got a thriller and soon to be movie for you. In a Dark, Dark, Wood intrigued me because the title reminded me of one of my favorite children's books In a Dark, Dark, Room. I read In a Dark, Dark Wood in 2016 (actually I listened to it) and it was a very captivating read, though nothing really like my childhood scary stories book.
In a Dark, Dark Wood was written by Ruth Ware and became an instant New York Times Best Seller when it was published in 2015. It follows Nora Shaw, a writer who is invited to her old college friend's, Clare, hen-do (a bachelorette party essentially but bigger). Nora is confused because she hasn't talked to Clare in years, and they weren't exactly on good terms. The weekend holiday has a tragic turn of events when a man is shot and then Nora ends up in the hospital unable to recall any of the events from the weekend. Now she's the prime suspect!
In a Dark, Dark, Wood is a fun psychological thriller. It's a quick read and you'll probably like it if you liked Gone Girl (I haven't read this yet, though it's on my shelf) and The Girl on the Train (I listened to this around the same time as In a Dark, Dark Wood and I loved it). I didn't find it completely predictable so it made it an interesting story that kept me on my toes. It isn't your classic fast-paced mystery book with police chases and shootouts. But the unanswered questions really intrigued me and kept me tuned into the story.
AND Reese Witherspoon's production company, Pacific Standard, is attached to the movie adaptation and you know I'm going to be watching it! If you're like me and love to compare books to their movies, you'll for sure want to read this book.
So do you like mysteries and thrillers? Will you be reading In a Dark, Dark Wood? Let us know in the comments below.
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Creators of Hot Cocoa Bombs! (copyrighted)
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Helen Reynolds: Mother of six children , grandmother to eleven! I love to cook, craft and create things and I especially love doing that with my family, So, when my lawyer daughter, Lindsey, my artist daughter, Madalynn, and I came up with the idea of Hot Cocoa Bombs, this blog was born. Then, one more daughter, with her technical and science skills, plus creativity has joined in to round us out! Read more about us here! Archives
July 2024
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