Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday - Best Books I Read in 2024
Hello, dear readers! Today’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt from Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl is the best books I read in 2024. I stumbled upon some really great books this year, and it was hard to pick just ten. I discovered an amazing new-to-me author (Kate Quinn), and I listened to some wonderful new-to-me narrators (Saskia Maarleveld and Xe Sands). All of these books were audiobooks, except for The Paradise Problem, and I highly recommend the audiobook versions. I can’t wait to see what 2025 brings. HAPPY TUESDAY and HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉
Thursday, December 26, 2024
GMA January Book Club Pick Winner
YAY! 🎉 The Sullivan Book Nook Little Free Library was chosen to receive two copies of the January book club pick from Good Morning America! I’ll post pictures and share more information after it’s announced on the show January 7th.
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Recipe - Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup less-sugar cherry preserves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lbs pork tenderloin
- Olive oil spray
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400F. Trim and remove any silver skin from the pork tenderloin.
Bring balsamic to a boil and cook over low heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Stir in cherry preserves; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in thyme.
Combine garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub over pork.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and spray with oil. Brown the pork tenderloin on all sides. Spoon half of the glaze over the pork and transfer to the oven.
Bake until the internal temperature reaches 145F. Depending on the thickness, this will range anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes so using a thermometer is a must so it’s not dried out.
Let it rest tented with foil 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into 12 slices. Spoon remaining cherry sauce over the pork.
NOTES: The best tip for not overcooking pork tenderloin is to use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. Here’s how to do it:
- Cook to the right temperature: Remove the pork tenderloin from the heat when it reaches 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part. This ensures it’s safe to eat while staying juicy and tender.
- Rest the meat: Let the pork rest for at least 5 minutes after cooking. The temperature will rise slightly due to carryover cooking, reaching the perfect doneness.
- Avoid overcooking: Keep an eye on the pork as it cooks, especially since tenderloin is a lean cut and can dry out quickly.
NUTRITION INFO: 2 slices, Calories: 233 kcal, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 32 g, Fat: 3.5 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 98.5 mg, Sodium: 365.5 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sugar: 14 g
(Recipe and photo courtesy of Skinnytaste)
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Review - Say You’ll Remember Me
AUTHOR: Abby Jimenez
RATING: ★★★★
RELEASE DATE: April 1st, 2025
Summary (from Goodreads): There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong…
. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.
Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.
REVIEW: What a great little love story! This is the first book I’ve read by Abby Jimenez, and I enjoyed it so much I finished it in two days. The snarky dialogue made me laugh out loud SO many times, and the emotional moments brought tears to my eyes. This is a funny yet moving story about a family dealing with dementia, and Xavier is an admirable hero you can’t help but swoon over. Samantha is a down-to-earth and relatable heroine, and she’s also someone to admire. I would highly recommend Say You’ll Remember Me to everyone. It was a nice little break from historical fiction for me, and I look forward to reading more of Jimenez’s work in the future.
(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.)
Friday, December 20, 2024
Spreading the Love to Some Little Free Libraries
Played Christmas book fairy today and dropped off some books in a few little free libraries nearby. Also found a gem in one of them I can’t wait to read.
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