Summer is here! This is a list of seven beach reads for summer 2022. Each of these books was released earlier this year, so you are sure to find something new to enjoy while you keep your feet in the pool!
Seven Beach Reads for Summer 2022
Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth
Forget the Alamo tells uncomfortable truths that all Texans should know - but the myth of the Alamo will never fall. This book sets the record straight for those that will listen, and is an excellent book.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
This novel is extraordinary. Throughout the two millenia in which this story lives, as all the characters live their lives and face their struggles, somehow the reader becomes enchanted. The survival of the book, of the earth, of the Argos - it becomes imperative. And while all the endings aren't happy, they're easier to take because they were made better by the story that they loved and preserved. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Antonio Diogenes will survive long after they're gone.
The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman
The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman review. Free book club questions.A Very Nice Satire & Thriller all in one. Highly Recommend
The Grand Hotel, 1932
The Grand Hotel film, 1932: Behind the Scenes pictures, trivia, video from the premier, the 5th Academy Awards & the 1st ever Mickey Mouse cartoon in Technicolor.
Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian: A Book Review
Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian - Book review with free exclusive book club questions! Historical fiction set in Boston, 1662.
Cimarron, 1931 – 1932
Cimarron was the 4th Best Picture Winner in 1931/32. Based on a popular Edna Ferber novel, the RKO movie was the 1st Western ever to win. With vintage news articles, movie reviews, and never before linked images of the cast visiting the White House, Cimarron and the story it tells is examined through a modern lens.
The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: An Audiobook Review
A MUST READ. 17-year-old Lenni and 83-year-old Margot meet in the art therapy room of the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Between them, they have 100 years of life. They share each other's memories, and each experience a whole new lifetime before their own runs out.
Christmas Cookies
Christmas Cookie recipes that my family has enjoyed over the last ten years.
Second Son: A Novel of the South: A Book Review
It's a rare treat when we find a novel written by an unknown author that is so extraordinary. It feels like discovering a secret. To find one of the best written novels I've ever come across this way was a pleasant surprise. I cannot recommend highly enough.
All Quiet on the Western Front, 1930
In Berlin, on the evening of December 5, 1930, at the Mozart Hall, a sold out showing of All Quiet on the Western Front is about to begin. This is the German premiere of the movie that has already won Best Picture in America. "Ten minutes into the performance, a small, dark haired, man arose from his front row balcony seat and stalked up the darkened aisle toward the exit. This man, Joseph Goebbels, was giving a signal to the Nazis that had packed the seats and were patiently awaiting their signal.. They rose and began chanting "Judenfilm, Judenfilm!" They threw stink bombs and released mice into the theater...
The Covid Chronicles by Stu Whitney: A Book Review
Stu Whitney has accomplished what most novelists dream of - a great novel, written and published at the right moment. The Covid Chronicles tackles tough issues that we have all struggled with over the past year. The fear and uncertainty that swept into our lives with the COVID-19 pandemic are illuminated through a father's hopes for his [...]
The Broadway Melody, 1929
The Broadway Melody was the 2nd Best Picture winner. Dozens of vintage ads, critiques, video and audio come together to bring the history of America before the Great Depression to life.
The Best Picture Project: Wings, 1928
Wings was America's first chance to see the world from the air. Combined with Clara Bow's star power, the film won the first Best Picture Oscar. Vintage ads and articles clipped from the Library of Congress give a new look at the legendary film.
Introducing: The Best Picture History Project
The Best Picture History Project started as an inexpensive date night idea. We decided to watch every Academy Award Best Picture winner in order. It quickly turned into an entirely new understanding of America, her history, and her people's priorities and culture shifts throughout the years. I've studied American history my entire life and have [...]
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave is a Suspense/Mystery novel released in May 2021. Narrated by Rebecca Lowman for audio; and a Reese's Book Club choice - it's worth a read! When it comes to book clubs, Reese is the new Oprah, and she put her stamp on this book. It checks [...]
PNC Park: Where Roots Run Deep
A visit to PNC Park put a baseball team on display interwoven with my family history and a city's memories.
Three Day Road Trip: Dallas, TX to Pittsburgh, PA
My husband and I and two of my children drove from Dallas, TX to Pittsburgh PA in three days. In order to visit family in Pittsburgh, PA, we left our home on a Friday afternoon. We left at four o'clock and headed out. We stopped for snacks and fountain sodas and headed out! The first [...]
We Spent our 15th Wedding Anniversary in post-COVID Aruba
We spent our 15th Wedding Anniversary in post-COVID Aruba. Here is a day-by-day trip report!
Everything I Need to Know About People I Learn By Watching Them Play UNO.
What about the heathens that just keep all of their cards in a giant pile that is not organized by color OR number? These people are savages and shouldn’t be allowed in polite company.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: A Book Review
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab is a story driven novel about a girl who makes a deal for her soul, and refuses to give up. Born in the 1600s in a small village in France, little Adeline LaRue is a dreamer. When she is 23, she can no longer put off [...]
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: An Audiobook Rave Review
Project Hail Mary is brilliant, it is funny, it is genius, it is incredible. I give it 25 stars out of 5. The audiobook will win every award this year, as it should. If you ever read another book, read this one.
Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson: A Book Review
Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson is a Breezy Afternoons Good Read Book List 2021 Recommendation - for good reason! 4/5 Stars - great Suspense/Thriller!
Side Trip by Kerry Lonsdale: A Book Review
Side Trip by Kerry Lonsdale is a summer romance involving two strangers taking a road trip on Route 66. Check out the review at breezyafternoons.com!
Houseplant Spotlight: Prayer Plant
This beautiful prayer plant sprouted a beautiful purple flower after a prolific season of growth.
No One Warned Me About Fake Hands When I was Pregnant
My youngest child recently started watching nail tutorials on YouTube. That’s how she ended up spending her money on this weird fake hand thing. Tip: you can use this hand to pat your husband on the back but he will not find it cute. And don’t even try to use it to get freaky. He [...]
Houseplant Spotlight: Tradescantia Zebrina
The incredibly vivid colors of the Tradescantia Zebrina make this an popular house plant. Easy to grow and fun, all the care instructions you need are right here.
How to Keep Squirrels From Digging Up Bulbs: Spring 2021 Update
To keep squirrels from digging up bulbs, I discovered this one easy trick. It worked!
April Fools Day: The Story of the Salt and the Sugar Shaker
For years, it was an April Fool's tradition to put salt in my dad's sugar shaker. He put several heaping tablespoons in his coffee each morning.
Unique Gifts for Adults Under $50
Do you need to get a gift for someone you don't know that well? Here's a list of gift ideas under $50 that will work for almost any recipient.
Montreal Smoked Meat and Cabbage Hash
Use leftover Montreal Smoked Meat to make a delicious take on corned beef and cabbage - a Montreal Smoked Meat and Cabbage Hash.
Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich
After eating the legendary Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich in Canada, a quest was born. Finally, we have mastered the infamous sandwich recipe.
Seeking Guest Bloggers to Profile Hometowns!
Breezy Afternoons is inviting guest bloggers to write about why we absolutely HAVE to visit your hometown.
The Good Read Book List: 2021
The 2021 Breezy Afternoons Good Read Book List is here! The must-read new releases in 2021 that I cannot wait to get my hands on.
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins is a thriller where every single character is a bad person. A retelling of Jane Eyre, it's extremely well done and I'd highly recommend that you read it. If you're not familiar with Jane Eyre, don't let that scare you away. This book is extraordinary on its own merit. [...]
The Dish on Hello Fresh
The Dish on Hello Fresh from a longtime customer. An honest review including pricing and delivery details.
Covid-19, One Year Later.
Could any of us have pictured what Covid-19, one year later, would have done?
The Royal We: A Book Review
The Royal We: by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan. A book review. The book shines a light on what Harry & Megan have gone through, and yet still chose love.
St. Patrick’s Day Books for Children under $10
Children's Books for Saint Patrick's Day under $10
Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit
Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit is set in the Plymouth colony in the 1620s, from the perspective of two women who reside in the colony.
Kingsbridge Series by Ken Follett
In his critically acclaimed Kingsbridge Series, Ken Follett transports the reader back in time to Kingsbridge, a small cathedral city in England. From here, a story follows that knits together the history of the people of England. While lower caste noblemen and women are often part of the stories; the books focus on the everyday [...]
Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting
Kiss my Cupcake by Helena Hunting is a fun rom-com romance novel. Two business owners go from rivals to romance when they team up to beat the competition.
Five Books to Read While the Power is Out
With most of the southern United States facing the coldest temperatures in a century, many of us are dusting off our bookshelves or our kindles and catching up on our never ending reading lists. Personally, I panicked as I'd just recently finished the two library books I had checked out from the Libby app and [...]
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey: A Book Review
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey is a "forbidden love" romance novel. It is the first of a series of three books. I wish this series could go on forever, because the books are unputdownable. Hometown Hero Returns Travis Ford is a World Series Champion baseball player. He's known in the tabloids as "Two Bats" [...]
Affiliate Marketing for New Bloggers
Affiliate Marketing is a great way for bloggers or web developers to create a passive income. Learn where to find affiliates and how to replace spammy ads with profits.
5 Amazon Gifts Under $20 Teens Want in 2021
I asked my soon to be 14 year old what they wanted for their birthday. The following gifts are apparently what all of the kids at school have these days. Parents, birthday shopping has never been this easy!1) Bandanas - "Because I look really cute in bandanas. My friend lent me one of her bandanas [...]
Guy Fieri’s Chicken Apple Sausage Frittata
I made Guy Fieri's Chicken Apple Sausage Frittata recipe and it was amazing. Come take a visit with me to Flavortown!
Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane: A Book Review
Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane is a thriller I could not put down.
How to Paint Cabinets: A Complete Guide
Are you looking for a guide for how to paint cabinets? You've come to the right place. My husband and I spent six months of trial and error and developed a system that yielded professional results that even contractors have asked us our secret. Read on for details, or you can skip to the infographic [...]
You are not Alone: A Book Review
You are not Alone, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen: A Book Review You are not Alone is on a bazillion bestseller and best of lists, and I completely see why. I'll write on but what you really need to know is that no matter your preferred genre, you should give this book a read. [...]
A Day at Dinosaur Valley State Park
Our family took a day trip to Dinosaur Valley State Park in December - a COVID-safe activity Like so many other families, when the world around us began to shut down in March, we were left stunned. Since that time, we've quarantined, worn masks, avoided play dates, parties and public parks. After a year of [...]
Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia: A Book Review
A book review of Mexican Gothic, Goodreads Choice Award winner in Horror for 2020.
How to Start Geocaching
How to Start Geocaching: Planning After a week of serious eating and resting around the house, I was absolutely thirsting to get outside and move around a little. My new sister-in-law, Nicole, had never been Geocaching, but when I asked her if she would like to learn how to start geocaching, her face lit up [...]
2021: The Year to Read your Favorites Again
In 2019, I read all of the Anne Rice Vampire Novels for the second time, in order. It was a great experience because I loved reading each and every book. Some of the reading was nostalgic, some of it was revelatory. There were so many fantastic passages I'd completely forgotten in the two decades since [...]
The Midnight Sky: A Netflix Movie Review
What Netflix has billed as George Clooney's greatest achievement underperforms expectations of those that loved Lily Brooks-Dalton's Good Morning, Midnight. Earlier this month, I reviewed the novel Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton. I reviewed the novel enthusiastically, as it is an excellent read. The screenplay adapted from the novel was changed enough from the [...]
Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton: A Book Review
Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton is a novel that imagines the Earth going dark.
Raising Children as a Chronic Pain Patient
The pain does not have to interfere with raising good humans. I am a chronic pain patient. My pain is manageable, which means: it will never go away or be cured but can be reduced enough to allow me to move and walk up to two miles on a good day, with some modifications and [...]
What should I Read Next?
A list of book ideas for your next read.
The Witch Hunter by Max Seeck
A review of The Witch Hunter by Max Seeck, translated from Finnish to English
Houseplant Spotlight: Dumb Cane
Diffenbachia (Dumb Cane) The first question I get when I show people my big, beautiful Dumb Cane is always, "Why is it called Dumb Cane?" The reason is that the stem of the plant contains toxins that, when chewed, render the person unable to speak as their tongue and throat swells and becomes numb. The [...]
How to Get a Library Card: A Guide for The Socially Awkward or Anyone Who Hates Talking to People
Libraries are straight magic. They are the most utopian thing America has to offer. In a world where we are all trying so hard to hawk our content and everyone wants to nickel and dime you for everything, the library just sits there - a content superstore where everything is free. Once you take the [...]
Hot Honey Salmon Dinner with Leftover Salmon Breakfast
Make a mouth-watering healthy salmon dinner and use the leftovers to pack protein into your breakfast. This isn't one of those blogs in which you have to read a thousand ads to get to the recipe. Skip the following paragraph and get right to it! For those of you who like to read about the [...]
Five Star Fiction of the 80’s and 90’s
Five Star Fiction from the 80s and 90s.
It’s Been a Rough Road: Chronic Pain
Chronic Pain patients suffer not only from pain, but mistreatment from Doctors who are jaded and cautious during an opioid epidemic.
Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles & Mayfair Witches Presented in Order
Anne Rice Vampire Novels presented in order, including the Mayfair Witch cross-over novels
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Covid edition
A Covid-themed update to the classic poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Houseplant Spotlight: Pink Nanouk Tradescantia
Today's spotlight is the Pink Nanouk Tradescantia, once upon a time referred to as "Wandering Jew" - a stunningly beautiful plant with waxy, firm leaves. I treat my pink nanouk like a child. I even bought her a special matching pink ceramic planter and I am notorious for reusing or painting old planters. I hadn't [...]
We Painted Over 1980s Paneling
We updated a large living area by painting the dated 80s paneling. The results are amazing. Goodbye, 1980's oak paneling!
Update: Should I Have Back Surgery?
The doctor reaffirmed all the same diagnoses I've had for years. He still would not offer me surgery
Every Parent Should Teach their Child This One Thing
I was sitting on the couch at a large family gathering. The children were sitting on the floor playing with the McDonald's Happy Meal toys my grandmother always collected for them and the adults were watching football. A teaser for the local news came on the television, promising all the details in a domestic violence [...]
Eight Five Star Books of 2020 – with an Honorable Mention!
Look no further - these are the must reads of the year. Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 2020 will go down as a year as rough as 1929. An economic crash, a pandemic, an erratic, gridlocked government - many of us are looking for healthy ways to de-stress and cope. [...]
Welcome to Breezy Afternoons!
I'm so glad you're here! For as long as I've been able to speak, I've always wanted to share the things that I enjoy with the people around me. If I have a great experience at a restaurant, I want all my friends to know so they can go have a good time. That excitement [...]
Cavalcade: Academy Awards Best Picture 1933
Next up for the Best Picture History Project is Cavalcade (1933) is a film adaptation of Noel Coward's play of the same name. Set in London, the movie follows the upper class Marryot family and their servants, the Bridges through the first 33 years of the 20th century. This was an eventful time for Londoners [...]
Hobby Spotlight: Diamond Painting
I started Diamond Painting around Christmas time. I enjoy the simple repetition of placing the beads into their spaces while listening to a good audiobook.