Merry Christmas!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
• 1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

• 2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. 1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. 2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. 3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.
4. 
   

From Allrecipes.com 

A Murdered Peace - Book Blast

A Murdered Peace by Candace Robb

Publication Date: December 11, 2018

Pegasus Books

Paperback & eBook; 304 Pages

Series: Kate Clifford, Book 3

Genre: Historical Mystery

It is deep winter in York, 1400, the ground frozen, the short days dimmed with the smoke from countless fires, the sun, when it shines, low in the sky. It is rumored that the Epiphany Uprising, meant to relieve the realm of the Henry the usurper and return King Richard to the throne has, instead, spelled his doom. As long as Richard lives, he is a threat to Henry. So, too, the nobles behind the plot. The ringleaders have been caught, some slaughtered as they fled west by folk loyal to Henry, and the king’s men now search the towns for survivors.

A perilous time, made worse for Kate Clifford by the disappearance of Berend, her cook and confidante, shortly after Christmas. Her niece saw his departure in a dream—he said he was honor bound to leave. Honor bound—to a former lord? One of the nobles who led the uprising? Is he alive? She is hardly consoled when Berend reappears, wounded, secretive, denying any connection to the uprising, but refusing to explain himself. When he is accused of brutally murdering a spice seller in the city, Kate discovers a chest of jewels in his possession. Some of the jewels belong to her old friend Lady Margery, wanted by the king for her husband’s part in the uprising.

For the sake of their long friendship, and the love she and her wards bear for him, Kate wants to believe his innocence. So, too, does Sir Elric. And he has the powerful backing of the Earl of Westmoreland. All she need do is confide in him. If only she trusted her heart.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Chapters | IndieBound | Kobo

Praise for A Murdered Peace

“Those who meddle in the affairs of kings live to regret it. A...tale of love and murder set in a turbulent period when death and betrayal lurk around every corner.” -Kirkus Reviews “Superior. Robb effortlessly integrates the era’s intrigues into a whodunit framework and peoples the plot with a wide array of characters readers will come to care about.” -Publishers Weekly (starred) “A fine flowing narrative and a genuine sense of mystery and peril.” -Writers & Readers

Candace Robb is the bestselling author of sixteen crime novels set in fourteenth century England, Wales, and Scotland, including the acclaimed Owen Archer series and the Margaret Kerr trilogy. Candace lives in Seattle, Washington.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Tuesday, December 11 100 Pages a Day Bookish Rantings Wednesday, December 12 The Lit Bitch Bri's Book Nook Passages to the Past Thursday, December 13 Creating Herstory Just One More Chapter Friday, December 14 What Is That Book About Jennifer Tar Heel Reader Saturday, December 15 Old Timey Books Historical Fiction with Spirit Sunday, December 16 Donna's Book Blog Hoover Book Reviews Monday, December 17 The Writing Desk Tuesday, December 18 A Book Geek Tea Book Blanket Wednesday, December 19 Umut Reviews The Book Junkie Reads Thursday, December 20 Clarissa Reads it All For the Sake of Good Taste Friday, December 21 Jathan & Heather Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a signed set of Candace Robb's Kate Clifford series! 

To enter, please use the Gleam form below. 

  Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 21st. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open to US residents only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. 

A Murdered Peace

First Line Fridays

Merry Christmas!  I know this is the last Friday before Christmas, so I wanted to wish you and your families that happiest of holidays.  And I hope Santa leaves you lots of books under the tree.  :)

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2019?  There are so many wonderful stories coming out, and I am so excited to read the next text in several of the series I have read.  Happy reading everyone!

Grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line!

Today I am going to post a line from: 

  The White Christmas Inn: A Novel 

by Colleen Wright 

And the first line is...

"As the inn appeared on the crest at the end of the snowy drive, nestled in the folds of the gently rolling Vermont foothills, Molly Winslow actually laughed aloud."  

Happy reading and happy Friday!   

Let me know your first line in the comments & then head over to Hoarding Books  to see who else is participating! 

Peppermint Cookies

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• 
  

• Ingredients

  1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 5 teaspoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy canes, or to taste (optional)
• 
  

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. 2. Beat the butter and white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat egg into butter mixture until completely incorporated. Mix flour and salt into the butter mixture until just incorporated. Fold crushed candy canes into the batter, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Roll dough into balls 1 tablespoon at a time; arrange on baking sheets.
3. 3. Bake in the preheated oven until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. 4. Whisk confectioners' sugar and warm water together in a small bowl until you have a smooth icing. Dip top of each cookie in the icing, Top with additional crushed candy cane, if desired. Set aside to let the icing dry, at least 5 minutes.

From Allrecipes.com 

Weddings, Willows, and Revised Expectations Cover Reveal

   Genre - Inspirational Romantic                         Comedy

   Release Date - February 14th, 2019

   Publisher - WhiteFire Publishing 

   Series Info - Weddings, Willows, and Revised Expectations is based off of characters introduced in my first book (Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations), but it is a standalone novel.

Seventeen years after being orphaned, Apryl Burns and her twin sister Courtney have their own expectations for life. While Courtney continues to shine at everything, Apryl holds fast to the mantra that as long as her potato chip stash remains intact, then she'll be fine.

But when their beloved grandmother ends up injured and unable to manage her struggling antique store, Courtney makes it their mission to revamp the business and save what's left of their family's legacy. Despite rampant doubts in her abilities, Apryl finds herself trapped under the weight of family loyalty as they transition to a wedding venue decorating service. Soon she's forced to ask (translation: blackmail) their grandmother's renter/handyman, Chance McFarland, for help, an arrangement that is made even worse by the fact that Chance is her former (ahem, and current) crush.

Chance knows a few dozen things about family loyalty, which is why he begrudgingly agrees to Apryl's insane plan. While Apryl claims they're archenemies, the girl Chance only glimpsed in their teens starts to emerge, stealing what remains of his heart.

But expectations are a powerful thing. Amidst the glamorous weddings and swaying willows, can those old expectations be revised into something new?

Pre-order on Amazon

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Goodreads / Website / Blog 

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