The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "Secrets of Worry Dolls" by Amy Impellizzeri, Served with Guatemalan Rice & Beans with Coconut Milk (and a Giveaway!)

It's my last TLC Book Tour Stop for 2016 and it's an especially good one. Today I am reviewing the novel Secrets of Worry Dolls by Amy Impellizzeri, a story about secrets, loss, and love. I am pairing my review with a creamy and delicious bowl of Guatemalan Rice and Beans with Coconut Milk, inspired by my reading. Finally, just in case you don't get a good book for the holidays, you can enter to win a copy of the book a through the giveaway at the bottom of this post.

Publisher's Blurb:

According to Mayan tradition, if you whisper your troubles to the Worry Dolls, they will do the worrying instead of you–therefore, it follows that Worry Dolls are the keepers of a great many secrets . . .

On the eve of the end of the world–according to the Mayan calendar–Mari Guarez Roselli’s secrets are being unraveled by her daughter, Lu.

Lu’s worry dolls are at-capacity as she tries to outrun the ghosts from her past–including loved ones stolen on 9/11–by traveling through her mother’s homeland of Guatemala, to discover the painful reasons behind her own dysfunctional childhood, and why she must trust in the magic of the legend.

Paperback: 312 pages

Publisher: Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing (December 1, 2016)

My Review:

Amy Impellizzeri wrote Secrets of Worry Dolls based on her fascination for them as a child, as well as two incidents that impacted her and the Bell Harbor, New York neighborhood she lived in; the terrorist attacks on 9/11 (where the small community lost over 70 residents) and the crash of American Airlines Flight 578 into the neighborhood, just two months later (all of the passengers and crew aboard and 5 of her neighbors perished). Impellizzeri was at home on the day of the crash and her house was used by the emergency response team (many leaving shifts at Ground Zero) as the command center for the recovery efforts. That mix of gratefulness for being alive with a still-standing home, mixed with the guilt for those who did not make it, give Secrets of Worry Dolls and its characters heartfelt and personal tone that permeates the book. 

In the novel, Lu is about to take off for Guatemala on the urging of her distant mother Mari, to meet the nun that essentially raised her and to hear Mari's story and the secrets that she has kept in her life. Lu does not get on the plane, which turns out to be a fortuitous decision as it crashes after take-off in her Rock Harbor neighborhood, leaving Mari who was home at the time in a coma. Having lost her father and twin sister Rae, ten years prior in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Lu is once again left with survivor's guilt and a feeling of abandonment. The story goes back and forth between Lu's thoughts about what is happening and her memories of her childhood and Mari's viewpoint, told while in her coma. Both Lu and Mari have worries, secrets, and guilt about their pasts and there may be far too many for both the worry dolls that Mari keeps and the ones she gave to Lu.

This is my first book by this author (her second novel) and I was impressed with how well she told both Mari and Lu's story and wove them back and forth in short chapters that kept the story flowing along to the end. Along with the worry dolls, the meaning of the purported end of the world on 2012 according to the Mayan calendar and the violence and heartbreak of the country's violent political history gave me insight into Guatemalan folklore and history. I liked that the folklore and magical realism has a deft balance in the book, it makes sense in the story and comes off as believable rather than fantastical. I found Secrets of Worry Dolls to be a multi-layered and wonderful book that captured both my imagination and my heart. Although there is tragedy, pain and heartache--and certainly much of it--in its pages, it manages to convey a feeling of hope and the future.  

(Side Note: I had a tiny set of my own worry dolls growing up and I think they are still in an old jewelry box in a closet. I thought about looking for them, although I think they may be too small for all of the worries this past year has brought. Thankfully I received a couple of slightly larger worry dolls with the ARC of the book, so I'll give them a try.)
  
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Author Notes: Amy is a reformed corporate litigator, founder of SHORTCUTS Magazine, and award-winning author. Her first novel, Lemongrass Hope (Wyatt-MacKenzie 2014) , was a 2014 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Bronze Winner and a National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist. A favorite with bloggers and book clubs, Lemongrass Hope was named the #1 reviewed book in 2014 by blogger, The Literary Connoisseur, and topped several bloggers’ “Best of” Lists in 2015. Amy’s second novel, Secrets of Worry Dolls is releasing December 1, 2016 by Wyatt-MacKenzie.
 
Amy is also the author of the non-fiction book, Lawyer Interrupted (ABA Publishing 2015). She is a proud member of the Tall Poppy Writers and President of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Amy currently lives in rural Pennsylvania with her husband, three kids, and one energetic weimaraner, where she keeps up on all of the latest research confirming that caffeine is, in fact, good for you.

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Food Inspiration:

There was some food inspiration to be found in Secrets of Worry Dolls like steaks, scrambled eggs, coffee, gazpacho, pork dinners, ice cream, and Frozen Hot Chocolate and Humble Pie from Serendipity in New York City. 

I thought about making a traditional Guatemalan Day of the Dead salad of vegetables, cheeses, olives, deli meat and flowers. "There was "a funny looking salad we made every November called fiambre, that looked a heck of a lot like antipasti." Being a non-meat eater though, it seemed like it wouldn't be the same without the cold cuts. 
 

I decided to make a simple rice and beans dish as Lu is fed "a heaping dish of rice and beans each night" while in Guatemala. I found a few different recipes online and decided on Gallo Pinto con Leche de Coco or Rice and Beans with Coconut Milk. 

Note: I doubled some of the spices in the recipe--noted in red below. 


Guatemalan Rice & Beans with Coconut Milk (Gallo Pinto con Leche de Coco)
Adapted slightly from DiningforWomen.com
(Serves 4-6)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 small red sweet pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup long grain white rice, soaked 20 minutes and drained until dry
1/8 (1/4) tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
pinch chipotle pepper or cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 (1/2) tsp dried oregano
1/4 (1/2) tsp turmeric
1/2-3/4 tsp salt, or more to taste
1 1/2 cup water
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
1 (15 oz) can small red beans, drained (I used pinto beans)
(I added chopped fresh cilantro to garnish)

In a medium‐large heavy‐bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add peppers and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add spices (thyme through salt) and stir. Add water and coconut milk and stir well.
 

Bring to a boil and stir in beans and return to a boil. Lower heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, covered. Stir every 5 minutes to avoid sticking and add more water if needed to prevent it from drying out. (This is more like risotto than a fluffy rice.) When rice is finished cooking, stir one more time, scraping the bottom if necessary, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes/Results: I loved how creamy and delicious this rice and beans turned out--very much like a risotto in texture, only less fuss. I did increase the amount of the spices I added as I like lots of flavor and between the coconut milk, spices, bell pepper and jalapeno, it had plenty. To be more authentic, it should probably have small red beans but I didn't have any in the pantry so I used pinto beans--although black beans would be another good substitution. It made for a satisfying dinner and I popped a fried egg on top for breakfast this morning. Yum! I will happily make this again.  

I'm linking this post up to the Weekend Cooking event at Beth Fish Reads, a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. For more information, see the welcome post. 

 
Note: A review copy of "Secrets of Worry Dolls" was provided to me by the publisher, Wyatt-MacKenzie and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and what other reviewers thought about the book here.

***Book Giveaway!***

The publisher is generously providing a copy of Secrets of Worry Dolls to giveaway (U.S. and Canada addresses, please) here at Kahakai Kitchen.

To enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below, leave a comment please (Because I like to read them!) ;-) telling me about a favorite family or cultural tradition or why you would like to win a copy of the book. 

There are a couple of other optional ways to get more entries to win: 1) Tweet about this giveaway or 2) follow me on Twitter (@DebinHawaii) and/or Author Amy Impellizzeri (@AmyImpellizzeri), and/or Publisher Wyatt-MacKenzie (@wymac) on Twitter. (Note: You can still get extra entries even if you already follow me, the author or publisher on Twitter.)

Deadline for entry is Wednesday, December 28. 

Good Luck!

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Sopa de Ajo (Garlic Soup) Simple & Warming for Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sudays

So, I know it's not the prettiest bowl of soup out there but if you are seeking comfort, warmth and delicious flavor in about 15 minutes, you can't beat this simple Sopa de Ajo (Garlic Soup) from Love Soup by Anna Thomas. 

It's a made-to-order soup so you can make a bowl for a quick meal, or a larger batch for a group. Perfect for when you are cold, tired, sick, or just feeling left of center during the busy holiday season. 

Anna Thomas talks about spending a cold autumn and winter on the Castilian plane in Spain and eating this soup nearly everyday. She says "It is every Castilian abuela's remedy for sniffles and aches all winter long."

Sopa de Ajo (Garlic Soup)
From Love Soup by Anna Thomas
(Serves 1 or Many)

Per Serving:

1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp sweet paprika*
1/2 tsp spicy paprika*
2 cups good vegetable broth
sea salt, if needed
1-1 1/2 oz day-old French or sourdough bread
1 large egg

Have ingredients ready before you start cooking. Peel and slice the garlic, make sure your broth is hot, and have the bread sliced or cubed. Cut or break bread into crouton-sized cubes or chunks. Note: If you are making only one serving of this soup, make it in a small pot or you won't be able to poach the egg properly.

Heat the olive oil in a small pan and saute the garlic over medium heat, stirring, for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until it just starts to color. Remove from the heatand stir in the paprikas, then add the hot broth. Return the pot to the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes. Taste the broth and add a pinch of sea salt if it's needed. 

Add the dry bread and simmer for 2 more minutes until the bread softens. Break an egg, slide it genly into the soup and be sure it is fully submerged. If it isn't, ladle some of the simmering broth over it to cook the top. Cook until the white of the egg is opaque but the yolk is still soft, about 3 minutes. Pour the soup into an ample soup bowl and serve at once.

If you are making multiple servings, I suggest you make no more than 3 in one saucepan for ease of handling. To serve, use a large spoon to scoop up a poached egg and place it in the soup bowl, then ladle in the hot broth, bread and garlic.  

*Anna Thomas notes to use the freshest paprika you can find--it doesn't have to be expensive--just not old. If you don't have hot paprika, she suggests adding a touch of cayenne to regular paprika.  

Notes/Results: This makes the house smell heavenly--the garlic and paprika blending together in perfect harmony. It's quick and delicious with the mix of sweet and hot paprika adding a depth of flavor to the garlic. I had this in the bowl and on the table in less than 15 minutes and enjoyed every bite. I will happily make it again. 

We have some good friends in the Souper Sundays kitchen who shared some delicious dishes last week--let's have a look!

Shaheen of Allotment2Kitchen shared Green Coconut Soup with Fennel and said, "We used to grow it a lot of fennel when we had an allotment and eat it quite a bit. But its been a while. I picked it up with plans to make something else, then ended up throwing it into this Green Vegetable Coconut Soup and I am so glad it did. It made for a wonderful change. Thick, the consistency of Pea Veloute and colour just as vibrant - green and gold."

 
Tina of Squirrel Head Manor made this hearty, healthy Sweet Potato, Lentil and Spinach Salad and said, "It’s so easy I can put it together in the morning to take to work. Canned lentils are always in the pantry and we usually have sweet potatoes so – winner!"

   
Mahalo to Shaheen and Tina for joining in this week! 

Souper Sundays is back with a new format of a picture link each week where anyone interested can post their soups, salads, or sandwiches any time during the week and I post a recap of the entries the following week.)

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here. 

If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you.

On your entry post (on your blog):

• please mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and link back to this post.
• you are welcome to add the wonderful Souper Sundays logo (created by Ivy at Kopiaste) to your post and/or blog (optional).

An InLinkz Link-up

 Have a happy, healthy week!
 

Donna Hay's White Chocolate Candy Cane Truffles

Just a quick Saturday post with a sweet candy treat. White chocolate is not something I crave-unless it's the holidays and it comes paired with peppermint. I have a bit of an addiction for Lindt's Lindor White Chocolate Peppermint Truffles and this White Chocolate Candy Cane Truffle recipe from Donna Hay seemed like it would be pretty close in flavor and simple to make.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Truffles
From DonnaHay.com 
(Makes 40-45)

1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream
1.4 oz (40g) unsalted butter, chopped
3 1/2 cups (550g) white chocolate melts or white chocolate chips 
10 small candy canes, crushed
powdered sugar

Place the cream and butter in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and top with the hot cream mixture.
 
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and, using a metal spoon, stir until the mixture is melted and smooth. Add the candy cane and mix to combine. Allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Refrigerate for 2–3 hours or until just firm.
 
Spread the sugar on a large baking tray. Roll teaspoonfuls of the truffle mixture into balls and roll in the sugar to coat. Place on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Donna notes: White chocolate melts will set more firmly than regular white chocolate and are easier to melt without the mixture seizing.

Notes/Results: These are just as creamy, decadent and delicious as the store-bought ones but they are definitely more fragile. I used white chocolate chips instead of melts because I had the chips on hand and they were pretty soft, even after a couple of hours in the fridge. The powdered sugar also 'melted' off them pretty quickly when they were on the serving plate. I will try them again with candy melts at some point and see if they are a bit sturdier. I will keep them in the fridge until it's time to serve them but probably wouldn't leave them out for long. Taste-wise, they are a winner though and they went really well with a cup of Tevana's White Chocolate Peppermint Tea. I would make them again.
 

It's our Monthly Featured Dish/Ingredient Challenge this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs and the theme is Sweet Treats--cookie, bar, or candy recipes from our current or any of our past IHCC Featured Chefs. You can see what sweet treats people made by clicking on the picture links on the post.

 

The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "The Other Widow" by Susan Crawford, Served with a Recipe for Earl Grey Hot Chocolate (+ a Book Giveaway!)

Happy Thursday! On today's TLC Book Tour stop, I am reviewing the new mystery/thriller The Other Widow by Susan Crawford. Accompanying my review is a warming and tasty concoction that blends two classics--hot chocolate and Earl Grey tea. It's sure to warm your belly while you read the review and enter for a chance to win your own copy of this book below!

Publisher's Blurb:

Everybody’s luck runs out. This time it could be theirs . . . 

It isn’t safe. That’s what Joe tells her when he ends their affair—moments before their car skids off an icy road in a blinding snowstorm and hits a tree. Desperate to keep her life intact—her job, her husband, and her precious daughter, Lily—Dorrie will do everything she can to protect herself, even if it means walking away from the wreckage. Dorrie has always been a good actress, pretending to be someone else: the dutiful daughter, the satisfied wife, the woman who can handle anything. Now she’s going to put on the most challenging performance of her life. But details about the accident leave her feeling uneasy and afraid. Why didn’t Joe’s airbag work? Why was his car door open before the EMTs arrived? And now suddenly someone is calling her from her dead lover’s burner phone. . . .

Joe’s death has left his wife in free fall as well. Karen knew Joe was cheating—she found some suspicious e-mails. Trying to cope with grief is devastating enough without the constant fear that has overtaken her—this feeling she can’t shake that someone is watching her. And with Joe gone and the kids grown, she’s vulnerable . . . and on her own.

Insurance investigator Maggie Brennan is suspicious of the latest claim that’s landed on her desk—a man dying on an icy road shortly after buying a lucrative life insurance policy. Maggie doesn’t believe in coincidences. The former cop knows that things—and people—are never what they seem to be.

As the fates of these three women become more tightly entwined, layers of lies and deception begin to peel away, pushing them dangerously to the edge . . . closer to each other . . . to a terrifying truth ... to a shocking end.

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (December 6, 2016)

My Review: 

I do like an intriguing and well-paced mystery with plenty of twists and turns that keep me constantly guessing and changing my mind about who the guilty party is--and that is just what I got with The Other Widow. The story is told from the points of view of three women Dorrie, Karen, and Maggie. Dorrie we meet immediately in the car with Joe, her boss and lover. She's a wanna-be actress, but works at Joe's home renovation firm, about to take over the financial duties for the company. Married, with a daughter, when the car skids in the snow and hits a tree she calls 911 and leaves the scene. Karen is Joe's wife and is out with her friend the night of the accident, although she passes it on her way home, not realizing it is Joe's car since he is supposed to be out of town. Karen and Joe's marriage after raising two grown sons has suffered and she suspects that Joe is having an affair. Maggie is the insurance investigator assigned to the accident, a former cop and soldier, suffering from PSTD from her time in Iraq. She immediately thinks that things are not what they seem and that the car accident may not been an accident.

Sometimes I struggle in a book when I don't like, or can't attach to the main characters and I found it difficult to engage fully with both Karen and Dorrie. Especially at first, their actions and reactions to the events playing out didn't make me care for them. Later as more of their thoughts, emotions and lives are revealed through the story, I related to them more and could begin to at least understand where they were coming from. Maggie was a much easier 'sell'--I was immediately drawn into her character--she is smart and compelling and I wanted her to succeed and work through her PSTD issues. Maggie hooked me into the book but once I was in, I became swept up in untangling the story and it ceased to matter whether I liked Karen and Dorrie.

The layers of the story and characters are slowly pulled away, so while not exactly a fast-paced thriller, The Other Woman manages to keep the tension going, ratcheting it up to the end especially as the danger appears to build for Dorrie and Karen. I definitely had some things figured out, but I doubted myself and my conclusions and there were some surprises both at the end and along the way--the mark of a good mystery for me. This is Susan Crawford's second book and reason enough for me to check out her first, The Pocket Wife (and if she were to write more books involving Maggie, I would definitely approve.) 
  
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Author Notes: Susan Crawford grew up in Miami, Florida, and graduated from the University of Miami with a BA in English and a minor in psychology. She later moved to New York City and then Boston before settling in Atlanta to raise three daughters and work in the field of adult education. A member of the Atlanta Writers Club and the Village Writers, Susan teaches at Georgia Piedmont Technical College and dabbles in local politics. She lives with her husband and a trio of rescue cats in Atlanta, where she enjoys reading books, writing books, rainy days, and spending time with the people she loves.
Find out more about Susan at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.  

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Food Inspiration: 

There was food and drink to be found in The Other Widow--starting with Dorrie's cup of Starbucks hot chocolate that she is trying to keep from spilling in the car with Joe, before the accident. Hot chocolate, Dorrie's drink of choice comes up several times along with coffee, Earl Grey tea--as well as green tea, ginger tea, herbal tea and te' con leche (tea with milk). There is a cocktail called a Chocolate Café Noir that Karen gets with strawberries rather than raspberries (although odd because she says she doesn't like raspberries but then makes her toast with raspberry jam later in the book. Hmm...) and beer. Food-wise, there are breakfasts of English muffins, waffles, various pastries and "monster" muffins, cinnamon rolls, toast, and a strudel coffee cake served with butter and coconut spread. There are mentions of lunches and dinners like pastrami and chicken sandwiches to clam chowder, salads with tuna and artichoke hearts, veggie burgers, lasagna, pasta with red sauce and garlic rolls, and a homemade blueberry cobbler. 

For my book-inspired pairing, I decided to combine Dorrie's hot chocolate with Karen's Earl Grey tea and then add in the chocolate from her Chocolate Café Noir cocktail to make a simple Earl Grey Hot Chocolate.
 

I am a bit mixed on my feelings for Earl Grey tea. In the right time, place and quantity I like it, but when it is too strong, too floral, or too bergamot-forward, it gives me a headache. So I tend to like my Earl Grey mixed or combined with other flavors rather than simply drinking it on its own. I do like the occasional London Fog where it is made into a tea latte, or not too long ago, I made an Earl Grey-infused honey for a cocktail (yum!), and I enjoy it in chocolates or dessert items. For this recipe, I kept it simple and just infused milk (almond milk in this case) with Earl Grey tea bags and whisked a good European hot chocolate mix into the infused milk and topped it with whipped cream and orange zest for a sweet and warming Earl Grey Hot Chocolate. 

Earl Grey Hot Chocolate
By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Makes 1 Serving)

12 oz milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
2 earl grey tea bags
4-5 Tbsp good hot chocolate mix, or to taste
whipped cream
orange zest

Heat milk in a small pan over medium heat until just before a boil. Remove pan from heat, add tea bags and let steep, covered for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags--squeezing gently to extract all of the tea flavor. Whisk the hot cocoa mix into the milk until thoroughly combined. 

Pour hot chocolate into a large mug. Garnish with  a dollop of whipped cream and orange zest if desired. Enjoy!

Notes/Results: This turned out to be perfect on a day where I just couldn't seem to get warm. OK, granted it was 70 degrees F. here so I am not complaining, but I have some lingering effects of bronchial crud from this weekend and between that and time in cold buildings, this was a welcome relief and indulgence when I got home. The Earl Grey flavor was just enough for me--fully present but not over powering and it complimented the chocolate well. The only thing that may have made it even better is if I had tucked a shot of alcohol in the mix. ;-) You could also get fancier and make your hot chocolate by melting real chocolate (I'd recommend dark or bittersweet) but I was feeling lazy and I needed to use up some gift cocoa mix anyway. But, either way, I would definitely make this combination again.
 

I'm linking this post up to the Weekend Cooking event at Beth Fish Reads, a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. For more information, see the welcome post. 

 
Note: A review copy of "The Other Widow" was provided to me by the publisher, Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and what other reviewers thought about the book here.

***Book Giveaway!***

I received two copies of this book hardback and paperback from the publisher and I decided to share the love and do a giveaway (U.S. addresses, please) for the hardback version.


To enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below, leave a comment please (Because I like to read them!) ;-) telling me either your favorite winter drink or why you would like to win a copy of The Other Widow. 

There are a couple of other optional ways to get more entries to win: 1) Tweet about this giveaway or 2) follow me on Twitter (@DebinHawaii) and/or Author Susan Crawford (@crawfordsusanh), and/or HarperCollins (@HarperCollins) on Twitter. (Note: You can still get extra entries even if you already follow me, the author or publisher on Twitter.)

Deadline for entry is Thursday, December 22. 

Good Luck!
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