December - Garlic - Cream
The 2022 Monthly Color Challenge is designed by Patterns by Jena and the block can be found here. Cream is not the best fabric with my chosen background, however, it is okay with the other blocks.
Guest Bloggers
I still have a few previous months to complete before the end of the year.
Follow me on IG at kathy.nester
#2022monthlycolorchallenge #December
The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas. New York: Harper, 2023. ****
Four girls enjoy a night out and drive home on the Devil's Corridor ending in disaster! Only one girl is found at the crash site pinned by the steering column and unable to get out of the car. Rescued and unable to remember what happened to her friends leaves Olivia Rutherford open to the suspicious scrutiny of her neighbors and the townspeople. A long and arduous recovery does not restore her memory of that horrific night. It's now twenty years later and journalist Jenna Halliday has arrived in Willshire to interview those close to the missing girls to create a podcast in the hope of turning up new evidence or clues as to what happened on that night. Jenna didn't expect the locals to be willing to talk, however, she didn't anticipate hostility and threats. Are they protective of Olivia or does everyone have something to hide?
I received an e-copy for a review.
This fast-paced psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. No spoilers here. Douglas' plot is ingenious and original. We know that no one can disappear into thin air, however, there are no credible sightings to explain what happened. It has now been twenty years without a clue. A suspenseful read that will keep you reading, many discussion points for Book Clubs.
Claire Douglas has worked as a journalist for fifteen years, writing features for women's magazines and national newspapers. She wanted to be a novelist since the age of seven, a dream that came true with the publication of her first novel, The Sisters, which won the Marie Claire's Debut Novel Award. She lives in Bath, England, with her husband and two children.
#psychologicalthriller #bookstagram
Alison Glass and Guicy Guice have collaborated and are hosting a Mini Series Sew Along for 2022.
https://alisonglass.com/mini-series-sew-along/
I joined from the very first, however, I am just now making my blocks. Somehow, I couldn't wrap my head around the process of paper piecing such small pieces. I kept trying and trashing. It didn’t help that I purchased a new machine at the same time.
A few suggestions:
Finally, three friends got together to sew and it just clicked. I didn't pay too much attention to color placement and even though the pieces are small, you do use pretty big pieces of fabric to make it work.
Meet Trixie and the Triangle Cabin Block.
On of the suggested tools is this seam roller. I found it very helpful in pressing the strips.
So Long, Chester Wheeler: A Novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Seattle, Lake Union Publishing, 2022. 224 pages. Book Discussion Guide. **** Publication Date December 6, 2022.
Lewis Madigan is young, gay, out of work, and just discovered that his boyfriend is moving on without him. Home all day living next door to Chester, his cranky, rude, homophobic neighbor convinces him that he needs a job now. Since Chester has offended and gone through all of the home health nursing agencies, his daughter is desperate and dangles a large sum of money in front of Lewis for him to step in. The only requirements: run errands, be on call, and put up with Chester. Can Lewis put aside his loathing and care for Chester? When asked to fulfill a dying man's last wish, will Lewis refuse or accept the mission?
I know when I read Hyde's novels, there will be tears, love, hope, and acceptance. It is so easy to dislike Chester and in the words of Lewis, "I'm always tempted to say hate, but I feel that 's a line I never want to cross." A doctor recently asked me why some older people are so miserable, unhappy, and mean, while others are pleasant, happy, and so nice? An answer requires knowledge of the person's health, finances, and family. Through Chester we get a look at how his past and choices made him who he is today and a glimpse at how Lewis grows with his experience. Given my age, I can relate to Lewis and Chester's struggles. I didn't want this heart-warming story to end and find myself wondering where Lewis is now and what is he doing, the true sign of a good book. Perfect for a Book Club choice, many topics to discuss and explore.
I received an ecopy for a review.
Other Hyde books reviewed by me:
Seven Perfect Things
My Name is Anton
Brave Girl, Quiet Girl
Have You Seen Luis Velez?
Just After Midnight
Heaven Adjacent
The Wake Up
Allie and Bea
Say Goodbye For Now
Ask Him Why
Worthy
Catherine Ryan Hyde is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of more than forty published and forthcoming books. An avid traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, she shares her astrophotography with readers on her website.
From Catherine Ryan Hyde:
"In addition to my writing, over the past few years I’ve done a lot of professional public speaking. I was privileged to speak at the National Conference on Education and at Cornell University. I even got to share a dais with Bill Clinton for three speeches. And I was invited to the White House for the movie screening of Pay It Forward."
For more information on the author, click here: Her Youtube Channel
Follow me on IG at flamazing_books
#bookstagram #realisticfiction #dyingwish
