Month: October 2021

The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook has over sixty recipes inspired by everyone’s favourite witches – the Sanderson sisters!

About The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook

Since its debut in 1993, the movie Hocus Pocus has achieved cult-classic fame, with both children and adults as a loyal fanbase. Fans fall in love with the delightful, demonic and diva-esque Sanderson Sisters and the sleepy New England town they torment. Now you can conjure up your own spooky treats and bewitching drinks to celebrate Halloween, whether you’re attending a surprise rave in town, or just spending “a quiet evening at home.”

The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook is filled with over 60 recipes for fare inspired by everyone’s favorite witches and their spells, potions, and schemes. It is the ultimate must-have for fans of all ages—but don’t worry, no children were harmed in the test of these recipes. Inside you’ll find frightfully delicious recipes for:

• Burning Rain of Death Punch
• William’s Wormy Grave Tombstone Cake
• Dead Man’s Toes Sausage Appetizers
• Baked Witch Casserole
• “Way to Go, Virgin” mocktails
• And much more!

Our Thoughts

Hocus Pocus was one of my favourite Halloween movies growing up – I could watch that movie over and over again. And while this book is not associated or authorized by the Walt Disney Company, it does bring back many fond memories for me. But to think my favourite movie came out twenty eight years ago after reading the introduction? How can that possibly be?!

The cookbook is divided into several categories including: Life-Giving Fall Favourites, Recipes for Salem Townsfolk, From the Witches Spellbook, Bewitching Brews and Beverages, Way to Go Virgin Drinks and Odds and Ends. In her introduction, Bridget explains how the recipes were inspired by Winifred’s spellbook, fan favourite moments and lines from the movie (one of the recipes was even inspired from the movie dialogue – can you figure it out?).

I loved the fun and delicious recipes in this book – there is something for everyone, young to old (which is what I love about the movie itself – it is perfect for all age groups). The names bring out the best of this spooky holiday season (bones of 100 chickens anyone?) and added to the magical fun of the recipes. The recipes were easy to follow, for the most part you will have most of the ingredients at home, which makes it that much easier to prepare and create. My youngest wanted to participate in meal preparation because it was fun which is a huge win for us and isn’t that what cooking together as a family should be, fun? He has already put together our Halloween night menu based on recipes from this book that he really wants to try.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Bridget Thoreson is a writer based in Brooklyn, New York. Her other books include XOXO: A Cocktail Book and consulting for Are You My Wine? Clearly, Bridget is very interested in drinking, eating, and pop culture.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A WWII novel of courage and conviction, based on the true experience of the men who fought fires as conscientious objectors and the women who fought prejudice to serve in the Women’s Army Corps.

About The Lines Between Us

Since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gordon Hooper and his buddy Jack Armitage have stuck to their values as conscientious objectors. Much to their families’ and country’s chagrin, they volunteer as smokejumpers rather than enlisting, parachuting into and extinguishing raging wildfires in Oregon. But the number of winter blazes they’re called to seems suspiciously high, and when an accident leaves Jack badly injured, Gordon realizes the facts don’t add up.

A member of the Women’s Army Corps, Dorie Armitage has long been ashamed of her brother’s pacifism, but she’s shocked by news of his accident. Determined to find out why he was harmed, she arrives at the national forest under the guise of conducting an army report and finds herself forced to work with Gordon. He believes it’s wrong to lie; she’s willing to do whatever it takes for justice to be done. As they search for clues, Gordon and Dorie must wrestle with their convictions about war and peace and decide what to do with the troubling secrets they discover.

My Thoughts

War can divide people, friends and families. It tests our faith, our beliefs and our understanding of the world and the relationships we have with others. We see this in so many ways in this powerful novel of faith, forgiveness and healing.

What starts out as a potential romance between Dorie and Gordon, goes awry when the pair have very strong and opposite feelings about the war. One supports doing anything and everything they can to stop the war – including fighting while the other opposes everything against war, fighting and promotes peace. Neither can reconcile their feelings, especially when Dorie’s brother follows Gordon in the way of peace. The two friends join the smokejumpers to protect the forestry in Oregon and Dorie goes on to join the Women’s Army Corps. We are witness to both struggles during the war as they each do their own part.

While Dorie refuses to speak to her brother, he is injured quite badly and Dorie comes face to face with their difficult separation and her own beliefs. She is determined to uncover the truth behind what led to the accident but she will need to work with Gordon to do so. Can the two put aside their differences to uncover the truth? Can they find forgiveness and healing?

I loved this story and found myself unable to put it down. My heart broke for Dorie so many times in this story, and by the end I found myself in tears. Like so many of us, she has to deal with the consequences of her decisions and the way she treated her brother. Something like this can have a lasting impact on our mental and physical well being, and Dorie is no different. She is forced to really look at herself – her beliefs and her actions, in order to find healing and peace. Both Dorie and Gordon are faced with making difficult decisions based on their beliefs and how to move forward as they uncover the truth that led to the accident. What I really enjoyed as well is how the novel was based on true experiences – these could have been real people that lived through the same experiences. The ending was powerful and touching and suited the tone of the story. The Lines Between Us will be a novel that you cannot put down.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Amy Lynn Green is a publicist by day and a novelist on nights and weekends. History has always been one of her passions, and she loves speaking with book clubs, writing groups, and libraries all around the country. Her debut novel, Things We Didn’t Say, was nominated for a 2021 Minnesota Book Award and received a starred review from both Booklist and Library Journal. Amy and her husband make their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Visit www.amygreenbooks.com to learn more.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review, all opinions expressed are my own.

In A Warrior’s Heart, her heart longs for peace, but peace won’t keep them safe.

About A Warrior’s Heart

Brielle Durand is still haunted by the massacre that killed her mother a dozen years before. Vowing to never let it happen again, she’s risen to be the key defender for her people’s peace-loving French settlement living in hidden caves in the Canadian Rockies. When a foreigner wanders too near to their secret home, she has no choice but to disarm and capture him. But now, what to do with this man who insists he can be trusted?

Hoping to escape past regrets, Evan MacManus ventured into the unknown, assigned to discover if the northern mountains contain an explosive mineral that might help America win the War of 1812. Despite being taken prisoner, Evan is determined to complete his mission. But when that assignment becomes at odds with his growing appreciation of the villagers and Brielle, does he follow through on his promise to his government or take a risk on where his heart is leading him? Either choice will cause harm to someone.

Brielle and Evan must reconcile the warring in their hearts to have any hope of finding peace for their peoples.

My Thoughts

I fell in love with this powerful and unique plot of a young female warrior who would do anything to protect her family. Even though she has hardened her heart against outsiders, it is an outsider who begins to thaw it again.

Brielle is a strong, young woman who has witnessed more than many others could ever recover from – witnessing the death of her Mother at the hands of the British. She dedicated her life to protecting her people, her family and their way of life. While isolated from the rest of North America, they have a great way of life with a focus on nature, family and education (each member of the community learning at least three different languages!). Brielle takes on the lead role in defending her people and this is how she meets Evan – when she captures him! Talk about a first meeting to remember?!

Evan holds many of his own secrets that he is keeping from Brielle and her people. He is on a secret mission for America, a mission that if he is successful can bring an end to the misery and death that has ravaged the country in their battle for freedom. What he did not expect was to fall for this young woman, her people and their way of life. He is facing a conflict of whether he is loyal to his country or if he follows his heart. Or can he have it both ways?

I loved the plot of this novel, I have not read anything quite like it and could not put the novel down. I loved that Brielle was this fierce warrior who would do anything for her family and her people. And while she is tough and hard on the outside, inside she is quite vulnerable and looking for someone to love her. You can’t help but fall in love with her character, she is the best friend that everyone needs in their corner. Evan has faced his own demons in his past and he too is haunted by them daily. He struggles greatly throughout the novel – torn between country, love and making an ethical decision that is rooted in his own past. They play a game of tug and war in their battle to trust each other but beneath it all, you can see their feelings start to develop for each other and can’t help but root for this unlikely couple. A Warrior’s Heart is a definite must read novel – it does not disappoint.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Misty M. Beller writes romantic mountain stories set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. Her Southern roots run deep, and she lives in South Carolina with her husband and children. Visit www.mistymbeller.com to learn more.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.