A U G U S T ♥ book club gathering ♥ the tale of despereaux

Welcome, Cozy Wallflowers!

I am pleased to welcome you to the August book club gathering. Might I tempt you to a cup of hot tea? In a most beautiful mug, of course. And perhaps a lemon lavender cookie...or two? Now that we've had a bit of a nibble, may we begin?...

Oh, dear reader friends, I was so disappointed in this month's book! I picked up this book expecting to be delighted and charmed and enchanted and enthralled and dazzled and captivated by a sweet, heartwarming story. All the good things, you know? And, my dear reader, I got the exact opposite. This will, sadly, be quite the quick little chat on my end because I just don't have all that much to say about this book, without only stating the numerous things I disliked and then going on in full detail about each of them, which I shall not do.

May I quickly say the one thing I did *love* about this book? And that was the writing style and storytelling aspect of this book. I dearly adored the way Kate DiCamillo wrote this story. She really invited the reader into the story. It gave it that magical aspect of let me tell you a tale feeling. However, for me, it was there that the magical, wonderful aspect of this book began and ended.

I found this book to be incredibly dark. It was full of mostly cruel treatments towards characters, tons and tons of suffering, and much abuse. I found it to be anything but charming and delightful. It was so full of darkness, the light couldn't barely shine through, and when it did, it was gone before you could blink. While I went in expecting a beautiful story, I received quite the ugly tale. So much of it was just plain sad. I sat there reading each night wondering how in the world this was a book written for children. It was not the kind of book that made you feel good when you closed the cover. I know that if I had read this as a child, it would have greatly disturbed me. It did as an adult.

My sister and I read this book together as part of a little book club we have between ourselves. After we both finished, I asked her what she thought, and she said the same things I did. We both agreed that we did not like this story...at all. And we also agreed that it is, in no way, a story for children. I also saw some reviews online and read the same things from those readers. I wanted to know that I wasn't the only one to think so horribly about this supposed "beloved, award-winning children's book". My, oh my! A book for children! Far from it. 

The thing this book taught me, and a lesson which I have learned before, is that not all books are what they seem. A cute cover and much praise doesn't equal a good story. I'm so sorry for encouraging others to read this book. I can say, however, that September's book is absolutely delightful and definitely a feel-good story.

 

I ended up giving this book 2 out of 5 stars, and that is simply because of the writing style and storytelling aspect. I do not recommend this book at all, especially for young readers.

If you want a truly charming story that will warm your heart in all the ways, might I suggest Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie? That book is a true favorite of mine and one I can heartily recommend.

If you read this book, I would be curious to hear your thoughts? Chat below!

May your day be filled with gladness!

the cozy wallflowers book club . . . S E P T E M B E R ♥ book

Warm greetings, bookish friends!

I can hardly believe that August is coming to a close and September is nearly here. Soon, official cozy season will be upon us and pumpkins will be on front porches everywhere you look. I cannot wait! I always think of September as a sort of "in between" period...not quite summer but not quite autumn either. Even though autumn does officially begin later on in the month, it still very much feels like summer where I live, though the lushness of the trees is subsiding, and bits of gold are peeping through if you look hard enough. September brings all those autumnal dreams of coziness and wishes for crisp air whilst still being very much in the tail end of summertime. So, like I said, an "in between" period.

And whilst I cannot wait for seasonal reads in the autumn and winter and Christmas, I have chosen September's book as a little bit of a gentle step towards that vibe. I am so delighted to share that next month we will be reading and chatting about...

{{ drum roll, please }}

The Telephone Box Library

by Rachael Lucas

This is the perfect end-of-summer, beginning-of-autumn novel. It is equal parts cozy and sunshine summertime vibes...and it even has a bit of history from World War II, as well. So much fun awaiting us in this book! And I can't wait to read it along with you all! This seriously feels like the perfect "in between" seasons book for September.

(As far as a content rating, I would say this is PG-13 and is equivalent to the show, Gilmore Girls.)

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About the book:

The Telephone Box Library is an uplifting story about fresh starts and new beginnings, set in a picturesque Cotswold village, by bestselling author Rachael Lucas.

The perfect retreat for a stressed-out teacher. And Lucy has found just the right cottage for a bargain rent. All she has to do is keep an eye on Bunty, her extremely feisty ninety-something neighbour . . .

With her West Highland terrier Hamish at her side, Lucy plans to relax and read up on the women of nearby Bletchley Park. But the villagers of Little Maudley have other ideas, and she finds herself caught up in the campaign to turn a dilapidated telephone box into a volunteer-run library.

Along the way, she makes friends with treehouse designer Sam and finds herself falling for the charms of village life. And it seems Bunty has a special connection to Bletchley and the telephone box, one that she's kept secret for decades . . .

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As far as acquiring this book, seeing as how it is written and published in the UK, I'm not sure if it will be available in libraries here in the States. Most of the time, when I choose books for this book club, I do so knowing that they should be easily accessible in public libraries. However, sometimes that may not be the case, as with this one. You can find copies at good prices and in great condition on Abe Books, which is always a favorite online source for used books of mine. You can check them out here.

We will gather together on Thursday, September 26th to discuss this read and I will also be sharing October's book choice then as well. So, lots of fun ahead!

I so hope you'll be joining me in September for this cozy, feel-good read. Please let me know in the comments if you'll be reading along, and as always, if you have any questions, please ask them in a comment or by using the contact form on the sidebar. 

Happy reading, cozy wallflowers!

May your day be practically perfect in every way! 

See you all back here on Thursday for our chat about The Tale of Despereaux!

my home diary ♥ july 2024 edition

Happy Sunday, reader friends! And welcome to my home diary from July. This is a little monthly/seasonal series that I want to start here. In these posts, I thought it would be fun to invite you into the happenings of my home from the previous month/season and share some of what I've been up to. Perhaps I'll share meals I've cooked, healthier treats I've baked, projects I've been working on, and any other homey sorts of bits and bobs. So, this is the perfect time to grab a cup of something delicious and settle in for a little look back at July in our home...

Early in the month, I was craving a batch of these no-bake turtle brownies. I am no doubt obsessed with this recipe and it was the second time I've made them. Not only are they delicious, but they are also sweetened with dates and honey or maple syrup and seeing at it is summer, having a no-bake recipe is perfect because I don't have to heat the oven up. The recipe originally says to make these into cups by using a muffin tin, which is what I did the first time. However, this second time, I opted for a 7x11 pan lined with parchment paper and just made little brownie squares. Either way, they taste divine!

I shared about this recipe back in March here.

No summer is complete for me without a few foods...watermelon, peaches, strawberries, and bruschetta. I made a bowl of the tomato, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar mix to go with our July 4th meal. And as a special treat, I used some wonderfully deliciously fresh heirloom tomatoes from the farmers' market that our neighbor gave to us. They added a bit of a different color scheme to my mix and tasted so incredibly yummy...summertime on a piece of a crusty bread. Yes, please.

Our July 4th meal consisted of oven-baked seasoned chicken (it was WAY TOO HOT for a cookout), bruschetta, roasted asparagus and corn straight off the cob (that's how I like it best). It was such a scrumptious meal and felt so summery, too.

We spent several hours on the night before July 4th going to watch fireworks. It had rained all day and stopped early in the evening, which made for perfect firework weather...hot, humid, sticky, and just that real July feel. A plus, though, was that none of us got a single mosquito bite, even though they were everywhere, seeing as how we were sitting in a grassy field. That was thanks to my new homemade, all natural, essential oil-based mosquito spray. It was put to the test and passed with flying colors. 

As much fun as we had watching the incredible fireworks show with patriotic music in the background, complete with homemade snacks and watermelon to munch on along with mason jars filled with water and lots of ice, I got an insane headache from the heat, which is the norm for me. Have I mentioned how I'm so not a summer girl? Anyway, we decided to postpone our homemade patriotic dessert until I felt better, so we opted for these all-natural fruity popsicles we picked up at the market. No complaints from us...they were yum!

So, a couple days later, when I felt better, we finally got to enjoy a patriotic dessert...strawberry tiramisu. I found this recipe on the Half Baked Harvest website which you can find here if you're interested. I've got to say, this recipe is absolutely, hands-down superb. The ginger chamomile syrup you dip the lady fingers in really made it extra special, and different. We left out the Aperol, simply because we don't use any alcoholic ingredients, and I found the strawberry jam to be totally unnecessary. Next time, we all agreed, it would be better to simply leave that out. Other than those minor changes, this recipe was a huge hit! 

Look at the gorgeous layers! I can hear Mary Berry saying that. {{winks}} Kudos to my sister for making this super yummy and beautiful dessert.

Another fun meal we had, which was a super special treat since we only have deli meats a few times a year, was making homemade adult Lunchables. Hee! We had been out all day running around and such and this was the perfect easy, lighter dinner...whole grain crackers and cheese slices, uncured salami and pepperoni, organic turkey slices, pickles, carrots and veggie dip...with a little piece of dark chocolate for dessert. So. Much. Fun.

And finally, one of our most favorite (and delicious) meals of the month were these lemon and garlic butter pork chops. I served them with brown rice seasoned with an herb mixture and some green beans. Pork isn't a meat that we eat very often, but I was beyond pleased with how this recipe turned out. Now, whenever we see pork chops on sale, we can get a pack and have a new way to enjoy them. I thought they also looked really pretty in the baking dish with the lemons on top. I think this recipe could also easily work great with chicken. Hmmm...I may have to make that soon.

And to end this post, here are couple photos of the flowers I received for my 30th (ah!) birthday. My mom and sister really made my day special and perfect. And you cannot imagine the absolute sheer excitement when I woke up to R A I N on my birthday. It rained nearly all day, and it was pure bliss. The last time I remember it raining on my birthday, I was turning six. Usually, my birthday is hot and sunny and to have a rainy birthday was just the cherry on top. {{smiles}}

So...now it's your turn...

what new recipes did you try in July? Did you make anything super yummy? 

Let me know!

Thank you so much for joining my for July's Home Diary. I hope you enjoy these homey sorts of posts, as I know I love reading this sort of thing on other blogs.

May your day be an absolute beauty!

glimmers in the ordinary || first of august edition

Do not spoil the wonder with haste!

~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~

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watching...

One of my most favorite shows to watch in the summertime is Chesapeake Shores. And, of course, I totally forgot to include this on my list of summertime favorites post a few weeks back. (It's so annoying when I do that. Ha!) I adore the scenery and settings on this show; it's absolutely gorgeous and oh-so-dreamy. I adore following the O'Brien family through the episodes and I certainly have my favorites...anyone else a fan of Jess and David?!?! They're hands-down my fave! I also really love Nell's wisdom that she so willingly shares with the rest of the family, whether or not they want to hear it. If you're looking for something really uplifting and heartwarming and family-centered, may I suggest giving Chesapeake Shores a try?

reading...

I am slowly but surely working on the little summer reading "challenge" I gave myself a couple months back. You can read about it here. After sitting with the prompts I decided on, there are a couple that just don't appeal to me anymore, but that's how it goes when you're a mood reader. I have completed 5 of the prompts, though, so far, with 4 more of the prompts in the works right now. So, yes, I am in the process of reading four books right now! I typically don't read more than 2 or 3 at a given time, but so many titles are calling to me at the moment, I am having a hard time saying no to them. I'm going to hold off on mentioning any titles or sharing any thoughts on the books because I am going to be sharing a big recap post of all the books I read over the summer. That'll be coming in the early autumn...that's my plan anyway.

listening...

A few songs that have been absolute bliss for me recently are:

A Space in Time by Cuig (I don't know how there is so much beauty in one song. I've been obsessed for five years.)

Sunrise By Norah Jones (I love the vibes in this song.)

I've also been loving listening the film scores from The Hobbit and Harry Potter. There's just something about a beautiful film score that I love so much!

loving...

So I got a huge pile of cookbooks out from the library a few weeks back. And one of them had the most delicious smoothie recipes in it...I decided it was "the most delicious smoothie" after I made it, of course. But I have made it so many times since then I just can't get enough of it! It literally tastes like a chocolate nut butter milkshake...but it has zero ice cream and instead is made from dates, frozen banana, spinach, nut butter, flax seeds, cacao powder, and almond milk. I also add some mushroom powder for added health benefits and nutrients. I cannot tell you how much I am in love with this smoothie! The recipe is in Danielle Walker's Meals Made Simple cookbook, which I really enjoyed going through. Do check it out for this recipe! I couldn't find the recipe on her website, so I don't have a link to share.

noticing...

 As we enter the second half of summer, I am noticing the slight change in light outside, mostly that the sun is setting a wee bit earlier than it was a few weeks ago. I'm not one bit sad about it, either. When we drive around different parts of town, I also am seeing many of the late summer flowers blooming and the colors are exquisite. 

tending...

One of the biggest ways I'm tending to my home is that right now I am in the middle of some H U G E reorganization projects in several areas of our home. As with such projects, things tend to look like a tornado whipped through before they look all orderly and lovely. So right now, there are some areas and corners that are in total disarray, but progress is being made, slowly but surely. Once the projects in the main areas of the house are complete, I am hoping to tackle something I've been putting off for far too long. And that would be the reorganization of all my bookshelves. I want to completely empty all of my books from the shelves, go through them, sort and organize them by author and such, and reshelve them accordingly. It's going to be a massive project, I just know it. But I also know that once I actually finally get it done, I'll really appreciate it. And then, maybe, I can finally share a bookshelf tour that I've been wanting to share for a few years now.

nourishing...

I've really been focusing on healthy eating and have been doing lots of reading, studying and learning on the topics of wellness and nutrition and have been trying to put what I've learned into practice. And, thankfully, we've tried some wonderfully delicious new recipes, too. So it's been lots of fun!

nurturing...

I've learned a lot about nurturing myself over the last year or so...perhaps I'll share some of what I've learned sometime, but one of the ways I'm nurturing myself daily is by reading most nights before bed. I find this to be the perfect end to the day and I used to be so consistent with it years ago, but as time went on and as life happened, I got away from it. Getting back to it has reminded me just how important it is for my wellbeing. Even just 20 or 30 minutes before bed is so beneficial for me. Though sometimes I end up reading for a couple of hours. {{winks}}

inspiring...

Something that has been really inspiring me lately are all the cookbooks I borrowed from the library. I found a handful of titles that I eventually want to add to my personal collection. But just flipping through books filled with gorgeous recipes and delicious foods was so inspiring to me. Spending an hour or so in the evenings just flipping through the pages, making notes of recipes to try, and then actually trying a few here and there...so much fun. I'm hoping to get another stash from the library soon!

looking forward to...

Autumn. Cooler weather. Crisp air. Colorful leaves twirling in the breeze. Boots and sweater weather. Halloween. Opening the curtains weather. Rainy autumn days. Moody, grey skies. Pumpkin and gourd decorations. Herbal tea in seasonal mugs at night. Cooking healthy comfort foods. Not sweltering to death when I walk outside even for just two minutes. Not getting headaches from the intense sun and heat. Yeah, I'm so over summer. Autumn, where art thou?

something fun...

So one of my family's favorite shows is The Middle, and one of the actors from that show has a YouTube channel that I randomly stumbled upon one night. Anyhoo...this video right here just made my day. I love the bit of truthful common sense at the beginning, as well as his awesome way of getting a point across. And to clarify, I identify as a hobbit, most definitely. Give it a watch here and let me know what you identify as. I hope it makes you smile as much as it did me.

 

What is on your list of glimmers from July, reader friends?