Rainy Days With Amanda

My husband usually gets me a random book for Christmas. This year it wasn't super random. I have had a big interest in the Holocaust since I was probably about 10 years old. Naturally, I ended up watching the movie  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas , which I would remember for years to come. I'm notorious for having people watch disturbing or sad movies on movie night, so of course I had to make my now husband watch it with me when we were first dating. So this past Christmas he got me the sequel to the book (that I didn't even realize was a book) and of course, I needed to read it to further my anxiousness during these backwards times in the U.S.. Here are my thoughts. About the Author John Boyne is the author of thirteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas , was a number one New York Times bestseller with more than eleven million copies sold worldwide, and has been adapted for ...

 I'm back! I've been away adjusting to life with a newborn and taking care of my mental and physical health (as much as I can), so coffee shop hopping had to be put on pause for a while. I'm happy to report that I'm back and ready to grab some good drinks a nice croissant.  On another note, I'm on a new platform! I'll be updating my original blog for a while, but you can also catch me on Substack . I feel like a lot of bloggers are heading to there. I don't plan to put a money wall on my content at the moment (I don't know why I would make you pay for reading my thoughts?) but maybe later, I don't know. But something I like about Substack is that they automatically send you emails once a new blog is up, which Blogger took away. So subscribe if you want to, or don't, either way, I'll still be writing. Anyway, check out these coffee shops!  Archies Coffee Lounge ☕ 9630 Huebner Rd Suite 101, San Antonio, TX 78240  Archies is a pretty spacious co...

    HOME TO COMFORT By Kimberly Fish Women’s Fiction / Contemporary / Cozy Mystery Publisher: Fish Tales Publishing Pages: 382 Publication Date: October 10, 2024 SYNOPSIS ════════════════════════════════════ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　 ︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹ Gloria Bachman has pivoted so many times this year she has whiplash. Now, in the middle of winter and drenched in Mexican sunshine at a five-star resort, she has a role to play: Mason Lassiter’s “arm candy” in a sting to nab his not-actually-dead, first wife, Patsy. It didn’t make any sense to her either, but who argues with government officials offering an expense-paid trip and a reason for a new beach wardrobe? With Patsy leading resort security, FBI agents, and Mason on a merry chase, Gloria knows that if you want to catch a woman of a certain age, you have to think like a woman of a certain age. Thankfully, she’s got the credentials. If only she could understand the other peo...