RaeAnna Rekemeyer – Page 66

The Autobiography of Santa Claus

January 15, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Length: 289
Quick Review: Santa Claus wants to tell his side of the story, so he chronicles his life and the events he’s seen through the centuries.

The first book in the Christmas Chronicles trilogy. Santa asked Texas journalist, Jeff Guinn, to commit to paper for posterity the true story of how Santa Claus came to be the celebrated, beloved, and mythical figure he is today.

Santa was born a few centuries after the death of Jesus in modern day Turkey. He became a highly revered bishop in the Catholic Church. As he grew to an old age, he wanted to end his days helping the under served populations of the world. He left his church one night with money in his pocket to help those in need. He soon realized he did not age and could travel at heightened speeds. He spent his years giving gifts and gathering close friends he met along the way to help with his mission. Nicholas was eventually canonized and became known as Saint Nicholas.

Guinn is an acclaimed journalist and author with an eye for history. He uses Saint Nicholas as an avenue to discuss major aspects of world history focusing on Christian and Western European history.

Santa Claus is a beloved figure known for kindness, love, and generosity. Throughout much of history, there are examples of intolerance and cruelty made in the name of God. Santa is an observer of history, who comments about how saddened he is by the unfortunate choices people make around him. The Autobiography of Santa Claus is not only an amusing history review but a lesson in tolerance and acceptance.

Santa is known by many names throughout the world and time. Notable names are Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Père Noël, and more. These names all originated from Saint Nicholas in one way or another. Guinn makes sure to mention the history behind the linguistic evolution of Santa. Another thing he makes sure to cover is why Santa doesn’t visit every house throughout the world.

It’s a quick read and perfect for the Christmas spirit or post Christmas spirit, in my case. The narrative is sweet, well informed, and interesting.

I highly suggest it. It would be a wonderful read for family time with kids.

Memorable Quotes
“Life is never as uncomplicated as we’d prefer.”

Title: The Autobiography of Santa Claus
As Told To: Jeff Guinn
Publisher: Jeremy P. Tarcher / Penguin Group
Copyright: 1994
ISBN: 9781585422654

Books

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl

January 10, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Length: 212
Quick Review: Lizzie has been fat since adolescence. Her body has shaped how she is seen, and more importantly how she sees herself.

Lizzie grew up in suburban town, where she was known as the fat girl.

I had a hard time picking up this book because of the title. Without even reading the synopsis, I knew it would be a heartbreaking tale but an important tale nonetheless. It’s an issue women (and people) face. Size. We are a society that judges based on appearances. The world treats women (and people) less the more space they take up. It is unfortunate fact today.

Thirteen chapters told from varying perspectives. Sometimes, Lizzie tells her own story. Other times, people around her tell her story. In all of the narratives, her physical size is an important. Lizzie starts out as a young teen. As the novel progresses, she changes in size. As her size shifts, so does her name. Removing the name she was known by, does not remove her memory of herself. Even when she becomes an incredibly in shape twenty-something, all she can ever see herself is as the fat girl. She is so obsessed with her outward appearance, she ceases to live.

Awad describes society’s consumption with physical appearance through one woman’s story. It is consistently heartbreaking yet witty. Awad is unafraid to dive deep into the emotional abyss that is self-image.

It is a short novel, a quick read, and a huge punch. I set it down with a sigh. As a living woman, it is impossible not to identify with so many sentiments depicted in the book.

Memorable Quotes
“Never the doughnuts because we agree that a fat girl with a doughnut is too sad a thing.”
“…like her thinness was a punch in the gut, the air of heaviness around her that will never leave.”

Title: 13 Ways of Looking At A Fat Girl
Author: Mona Awad
Publisher: Penguin Books (Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 9780143128489

Baked Goods, In The Kitchen

Thumbprint Cookies

January 7, 2018 RaeAnna

I love baking. In my family, like many others, recipes become part of the landscape of our lives. The recipes are handed down through generations.

Thumbprint cookies are some of my favorite cookies, and they come straight from my Great Grandmother’s recipe box. Although, she never baked them for me, my mom always did. I had never baked them myself until last year because they were always her specialty, and I was teensy bit scared I would ruin them. They’re amazing throughout the year, but I grew up with them during the Christmas season. They melt in your mouth with a nutty outside. Not too sweet, you can eat dozens of them if you’re not careful! I absolutely adore them with a cup of black tea and a book. The perfect afternoon snack.

Ingredients

1 cup Butter
½ cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs Yolks
2 Egg Whites Beaten
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cups Flour
½ teaspoon Salt
Chopped Nuts (I prefer pecans or walnuts)
Favorite Jam or Frosting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350॰ F. Ungreased cookie sheet.
Mix together butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Blend well.
Roll dough into balls. Dip the balls in egg whites then roll in chopped nuts. I rolled them in pecans this time. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet at least an inch and a half a part.
Bake for five minutes. Take out and press thumb into the middle of the cookie to create a shallow bowl. Put back in oven and bake for eight more minutes.
Pull cookies out of the oven when golden brown and firm to the touch.
Cool completely
Fill the thumbprint with your favorite jam or frosting or leave unfilled! My favorites are blackberry jam, buttercream frosting, or pastry cream. They’re so delicious!

Drinks, In The Kitchen

Hot Cocoa

January 4, 2018 RaeAnna

Christmas has come and gone, but winter will still be here for awhile. I am a firm believer reading should be accompanied by a warm drink. I am usually found with a cup of tea in my hand. Sometimes coffee. In the winter, always hot cocoa. I grew up with hot cocoa being a special winter drink enjoyed from Thanksgiving until the snow cleared. I grew up sipping my mom’s recipe.

Over the years, I have honed my own recipe, which has become beloved by friends. It’s rich and chocolaty because that’s exactly what cocoa should be.

Ingredients

Milk
Chocolate (Preferably semi-sweet baker’s chocolate, but chocolate chips will do)
Sugar
Marshmallows

Instructions

Grab your favorite mug. Fill it with milk.
In a medium pan put three ounces (or more if you like it chocolaty) of your favorite chocolate and a tablespoon of sugar with a quarter of the milk from your mug. Over medium heat using a whisk melt the sugar and chocolate until the mixture is thick.
Pour the rest of the milk from the mug into the pan. Continue stirring continuously until boiling
Pour the hot chocolate into the mug, add marshmallows and enjoy!!!

I love hot chocolate plain, but over the years, I have come up with fun variations to add a little something extra to it. Here are some of my favorites.

Peppermint Cocoa

Take a candy cane and crush it up. Add half of the crushed candy cane to the pan with the milk. Once the cocoa is in the cup, sprinkle the candy cane pieces over the marshmallows for a pretty look.

Espresso Cocoa

Add a shot of espresso to the pan with the milk. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use a tablespoon of instant espresso/coffee at the beginning to melt with the chocolate and sugar. It will add caffeine and extra yumminess for the coffee lovers. A great way to start the day at the office!

Boozy Cocoa

After the cocoa is made and in the mug, add a shot to your cocoa. You don’t want to put the alcohol in the pan while it’s cooking because you’ll boil away the alcohol. It’s a fun addition to a cozy girls’ night, romantic evening, ski trip, or any number of fun activities.

Best Boozes:

Peppermint Schnapps
Kahlua
Vanilla Vodka
Spiced Rum
Whipped Cream Vodka
Bailey’s

Lifestyle

Happy New Year

January 1, 2018 RaeAnna

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Thank you all for following me on my literary lifestyle. It’s grown far more than my wildest dreams could have imagined. Really, I’m still very new; I began this blog a year and one week ago. So thank you! May we continue our journey for many years to come. This community I have become a part of through my blog, Bookstagram (Instagram), Twitter, Litsy, GoodReads, and more has expanded my life in so many ways. Part of me wishes I would have started doing this years ago. Better late than never!

Looking back at 2017: WOW.

I moved to Houston in October, 2016 with the intent to risk so much and dedicate myself completely to freelancing. I quickly realized: a) I lived in a city where I didn’t know anyone b) I had never not worked in an office or some job outside of the home, so what would I do with my c) I needed a hobby aside from reading and baking d) I was very bored and lonely. My best friend had been bothering me for years to start blogging about books. I was reading a lot in my new home. I posted a couple pictures on Instagram about my late night reading garnering far more likes and interaction than the previous four years had ever seen. The idea hit. I would start a blog and social media presence dedicated to books, which would give me something to do with my free time and all those darn books I read.

Here we are.

I spent 2017 reading, blogging, traveling, and spending time with my dog. I read a whole bunch of books with the intent of rereading books on my shelf and exploring authors of diverse backgrounds. I did very little rereading but a whole lot of diversity reading. My bookstagram took off like wildfire, and I started receiving books from authors and publishers, which is a bookworm’s dream come true really. I was able to travel all over the country seeing friends in Chicago, Iowa, Minnesota, Los Angeles, San Diego, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, and more. I may be tired of road trips for awhile. I did a bunch of freelancing (shameless plug: I’m always open for more!). I adopted my dog, Beauvoir, in February naming her after the author and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. I tried to explore my new home, Houston, but I have so much more to see. I had some serious downs in 2017 specifically health troubles, but I have done everything in my power to keep it from holding me back from living a spectacularly exciting life.

With a little bitter sweetness I am saying goodbye to 2017 looking forward to 2018. After such a wonderful year, it’s hard not to be a little apprehensive of the year to come. I am looking ahead with optimism. My reading list is long and ever growing. I already have a few trips planned. I am going to start blogging with a new found vengeance because I love it, and I have a bunch of ideas!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you for following along, supporting, and enjoying this bookish thing I love so much. I look forward to another year full of adventures, books, friends, and new experiences.

RaeAnna Rekemeyer
Founder of Bookish Liaisons

Books

Dreams of Joy

December 30, 2017 RaeAnna

Read Yes
Length 354
Quick Review At 19, Joy finds out her family’s biggest secret. She runs away to find her father in her ancestral homeland of newly communist China.

I have had the accident of unknowingly buying sequels without reading the first. Fortunately, they have not been dependent upon the first book, so I am not totally lost while reading.

I did this again with Dreams of Joy by Lisa See, which is a sequel to her book Shanghai Girls. Joy and May were young sisters in the first novel; now, they are middle aged women with a dark secret embodied in their daughter Joy.

Joy is an idealist nineteen year old born in Los Angeles to Chinese parents. She yearns to go to China to build a Republic based on equality. When she learns her mothers’ secret, she runs away to China to find her father, who happens to be a famous artist. Spending time in communes and in the upper echelons of society with her father, it takes time for her to fully see the true meaning of Red China. Pearl embarks on her own mission to bring her daughter home to America. She returns to China and Shanghai after more than two decades away. Bittersweet. Many things have changed, but many have stayed the same.

Dreams of Joy is told from two perspectives: Joy, the daughter, and Pearl, the mother. They have their own unique viewpoints and voices. Their voices and views fit their age and experience. Pearl’s voice comes across more naturally. Joy’s voice is more forced with a tendency toward explanation and immature phrasing. It feels like the author isn’t fully invested or understanding of the characters perspective or psyche.

See discusses many horrible aspects of Chinese culture during the early years of communist China. Foot binding had been outlawed for many years in China, but there were still women alive who had endured the experience during the early years of the government shift. Infanticide and more atrocities were common practices during the famine. The desire to have male children was a violent and sincere part of culture even when men and women were considered “equal” by the government. See has no qualms about jumping head first into the ugly sides of history in her novel.

I really enjoyed Dreams of Joy and suggest it to anyone looking to learn a little more about Eastern culture. It’s a story of motherly love, idealism, and harsh reality.

Memorable Quotes
“She’s so sure of herself, but anyone can be sure at nineteen.”
“Those who have little to lose don’t want to lose what little they have.”
“To lose a daughter is sad, they tell me. To lose a son is tragic.”
“Mao my day women hold up half the sky, but it is the lesser half.”
“That means all food must go to males first.”
“Fu Hsüan’s famous poem that begins, “How sad it is to be a woman! Nothing on Earth is held so cheap.””

Title: Dreams of Joy
Author: Lisa See
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2012
ISBN: 9780812980547