Weekly Friday Finds | 03-22-2024 | Books ~Author News ~ Recipes ~ Crafts ~ New Trivia Contest Question
Welcome to the 03-22-2024 edition of the weekly Friday Finds.
This week, I have lots of goodies for you, from Easter/Family dinner recipes to new blog features. As always, there are reviews, blog posts, Indie Author news, creative projects, books for your TBR list, and the Trivia Contest.
Let’s get right to it because I have NCAA basketball to watch! This is the first year all the grandkids have joined the Family Bracket Challenge. I’m betting the youngest wins…I think he is picking based on his favorite mascots. We even have a traveling trophy awarded annually to the winner. We take our basketball and competitiveness pretty seriously around here.
Until next week, Peace & Love to you!
Gina
Weekly Friday Finds | 03-22-2024 | Blog News
I had a fun week on the blog with the following reviews:
3 Useful Skills To Transition From Writing to Publishing – Writing Tips
“Squirrels in Antarctica” by Sari Karplus – Children’s
“On the Threshold” by M. Laszlo – Science Fiction
Kissing Kin by Karen Hulene Bartell – Romance with a hint of Paranormal
A Trace of Romance by Ann Swann – Romance
Greystone by B L Ryan – Young Adult Fantasy (with Dragons!)
Mei’s Mermaid Mission by Crystal Z. Lee – Children’s
I’m adding another monthly challenge. Each week, the book review with the best stats (views & comments by number) will be eligible for my Review of the Month Award. So, vote for your favorite by visiting and commenting on the reviews. I’m in the process of creating a badge to award to the winner, and I will find a unique way to feature each winner. Winners will be announced around the 15th of each month. All past reviews are eligible (not just the previous week), so dig through the site for your favorite review, book, and author. Be sure to tell your friends and family to vote, too!
The trivia contest will continue as a separate entity, with the winner drawn monthly around the first, from the Friday Finds & email newsletter qualifying entries.
Weekly Friday Finds | 03-22-2024 | Recipes
This week, I promised you Easter or Family Dinner recipes. Both of these are suitable for your brunch menu. Let me know if you try one and how you like it.
In their cookbook “Italian American“ New York chefs Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli share this recipe for Pizza Chiena, a savory, meaty Italian pie served on Easter (or anytime). It features a duo of sausage in the filling — sweet and spicy Italian — as well as ham steak, cooked eggs, mozzarella cheese, and sharp provolone. If you’d like, you can break up the preparation of this recipe into two days. Knock out steps like boiling the meat and grating the cheese on day one, and then make the crust, assemble, and bake the day of.
![Italian American: Red Sauce Classics and New Essentials: A Cookbook [Spiral-bound] Angie Rito; Scott Tacinelli and Jamie Feldmar](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Aw0xk8Y+L._SL160_.jpg "Weekly Friday Finds 03-22-2024 | Books ~Author News ~ Recipes ~ Crafts ~ New Trivia Question 12")
- Angie Rito (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages - 10/26/2021 (Publication Date) - Clarkson Potter; Rebound (Publisher)
Lemon Blueberry French Toast Bake
What is the best part of Jeff’s five-star French toast? You can prepare and refrigerate it the night before, so come morning, all you need to do is bake and eat!
You can also check today’s corresponding email newsletter for more recipes. (Don’t get the Friday Finds email? Sign up on the sidebar! ) —>
Tune in next week for more brunch recipes.
Weekly Friday Finds | 03-22-2024 | Books
Listen For The Lie by Amy Tinter
What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn’t matter?
After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.
But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie,” and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.
The truth is out there, if we just listen.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Tintera, Amy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 338 Pages - 03/05/2024 (Publication Date) - Celadon Books (Publisher)
It’s an action-packed comedy about a fake family that includes a spy, an assassin, and a telepath!
Master Spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!
Threatened by Yor’s relationship with Melinda Desmond, Anya gets serious about her own friendship scheme. On the way to a museum field trip, however, she and her class become the target of activists looking to free their political allies…
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Endo, Tatsuya (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages - 03/19/2024 (Publication Date) - VIZ Media: SHONEN JUMP (Publisher)
Weekly Friday Finds | 03-22-2024 | Author News
(Authors, please send me your news to have it mentioned here.)
This is my latest scoop from Indie Authors.
Kelly Oliver has just released a new Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane historical cozy mystery, Murder in Moscow.
Journey into the heart of 20th-century Russia in this fun and funny historical locked room mystery, perfect for fans of Verity Bright, Rhys Bowen, and Helena Dixon.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kelly Oliver (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 242 Pages - 03/19/2024 (Publication Date) - Boldwood Books (Publisher)
Yay! It’s release day for Last Dance In Little Leaf Creek by Cindy Bell. It’s available at the discounted new release price and through Kindle Unlimited.
Join Cassie, Tessa, and their cheeky animal sidekicks for a fun-filled sleuthing adventure. Will Cassie make it to her wedding on time?
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Bell, Cindy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 157 Pages - 03/20/2024 (Publication Date)
Weekly Friday Finds | 03-22-2024 | Creative News
Last week’s Friday Finds featured crochet. Did you fall in love with that sweater? I’m in a Spring mood this week, even though we’ve had snow flurries off and on.
This would be perfect for a gift or to make and show off on your shelf.
For more DIY Miniatures and 3D Wooden Puzzles, click the following link:
Time is running short if you haven’t found that perfect Easter gift for a loved one. This is a digital download, so it’s fast and simple!
Baby Chick Easter Handprint Art, Spring Art, Happy Easter Craft for Kids, DIY Printable Artwork for parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends!
Weekly Friday Finds | 03-22-2024 | Trivia Time
This week’s trivia question is:
Cheesecake is believed to have been served at the first what?
Be sure you leave your answer in the comments for this post to be entered in the monthly drawing. If you subscribe to my newsletter email, you get double entries.
The entry jar is filling up quite nicely!
The answer to last week’s question:
Eons ago, when I was in high school, I was obsessed with Shakespeare novels. Can you remember who said, ‘All the world’s a stage’ and what book it was from?
“All the world’s a stage” is the phrase that begins a monologue from William Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy As You Like It, spoken by the melancholy Jaques in Act II Scene VII Line 139. The speech compares the world to a stage and life to a play and catalogs the seven stages of a man’s life, sometimes referred to as the seven ages of man. via Wikipedia.
- Shakespeare, William (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 168 Pages - 10/01/2019 (Publication Date) - Fingerprint! Publishing (Publisher)
Remember, if you find something you like in this post, leave a comment and click the LIKE button at the bottom of the page. It means the world!
Don’t forget the Review of the Month Award. For now, it goes only to the book’s author. In the future, I’ll figure out how to fairly reward one reader who voted.
See you soon for more Weekly Friday Finds Fun!
Gina
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[…] Last week’s Friday Finds featured some random Spring projects, so this week I decided to share a bit of creative news in my life. […]
I don’t do spring cleaning because I’m not home. I love Death in Moscow, it was a fun story. So, your question. The answer is Cheesecake was believed to be served at the first Olympic Games!
I didn’t get to my spring cleaning either!
Cheesecake was first served at the first Olympic Games!
I hope it warms up soon but then we’ll have to come up with a different excuse for not spring cleaning!
I eventually have to deep clean. I’m hosting the family reunion this summer. So all the spare rooms need a thorough cleaning. I never know who or how many are staying here. We even have family coming from Germany this year.
Listen For The Lie sounds so good, the plot sounds interesting. Great post!
Creating a bracket based on mascots is my style! 😂
Apparently cheesecake was first served in 776 B.C. during the first Olympic games in Greece … or at least that’s the explanation given by the Greek Reporter in an article about Ancient Greece.