Sunday, December 12, 2010

Mailbox Monday: December 13


Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @ The Printed Page, is on tour! Last month's host was Julie @ Knitting and Sundries, and she did a fantastic job! Rose City Reader kicks off 2011.

Mailbox Monday is one of my favorite memes, and I am delighted to be hosting, especially during my favorite time of the year! I'll be putting the posts up on Sunday afternoons for all you early birds! (I'm early today, too! :)

Two digital ARCs for me this week, both from Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab:

Darkness Becomes HerAri can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.


The Mistress of Nothing: A NovelThe American debut of an award-winning novel about a lady’s maid’s awakening as she journeys from the confines of Victorian England to the uncharted far reaches of Egypt’s Nile Valley.

When Lady Duff Gordon, paragon of London society, departs for the hot, dry climate of Egypt to seek relief from her debilitating tuberculosis, her lady’s maid, Sally, doesn’t hesitate to leave the only world she has known in order to remain at her mistress’s side. As Sally gets farther and farther from home, she experiences freedoms she has never known—forgoing corsets and wearing native dress, learning Arabic, and having her first taste of romance.

But freedom is a luxury that a lady’s maid can ill afford, and when Sally’s newfound passion for life causes her to forget what she is entitled to, she is brutally reminded she is mistress of nothing. Ultimately she must choose her master and a way back home—or a way to an unknown future.

Based on the real lives of Lady Duff Gordon and her maid, The Mistress of Nothing is a lush, erotic, and compelling story about the power of race, class, and love.

Since I anticipate my Mailbox to be on the lean side this month (at least until after Christmas :), I'm fattening it up by sharing the goodies I'm baking this month. I always have baked goods on hand in December! This is a new-to-me recipe but it has earned a spot in my permanent collection! This is quite possibly the best fudge I've ever made, and very easy, too! The recipe came from Nestle:

Peppermint Fudge


1 and 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 crushed peppermint candy canes

Line an 8-inch-square pan with foil. (I used a 9-inch square pan and it turned out fine.) Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt in a medium heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared pan; cool for 1 minute. Top with crushed candy canes, pressing them slightly into the fudge. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces and ruin your diet!

Tip: When making fudge you do have to stir constantly! It's very important! You can't give the mixture a chance to stick to the pan or start to burn. It takes about 15 minutes of total stir time to make this fudge, but you know I have a book in my other hand the whole time! Also, you may think 1/4-teaspoon of peppermint extract is not enough, but it is! Peppermint extract is super strong and it is very easy to spoil a recipe by adding too much.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

38 comments:

  1. thanks for hosting! Yay early birds, we don't get mail on saturday or sunday in Canada so my posts are always pretty early.

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  2. Both books sounds interesting! And the fudge looks so good!

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  3. Thank you for hosting MM this month.

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  4. You BAD! Just looking at that fudge is making me gain WEIGHT! Arghhhhh! I love the title for Darkness becomes her and The Mistress of Nothing sounds extremely enticing...

    Enjoy them girl :)
    PS Thanks for the weight gain ;)

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  5. Thank you for hosting! mine is always early because aussie time is ahead of you! The books look good and the fudge looks yummy.

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  6. The Mistress of Nothing appeals to me, and the cover is beautiful!

    Peppermint and chocolate is one of my all-time favorite taste combinations (peanut butter and chocolate is a close second), so this fudge is definitely on my list of things to try!!

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  7. Mistress of Nothing looks interesting. I made fudge yesterday but it sure doesn't look as good as yours! Happy reading and baking.

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  8. The Mistress of Nothing is an amazing read. I literally missed the bus because I was reading it and forgot the time. Enjoy your new reads!

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  9. I have Darkness Becomes Her downloaded too (same source). Mistress of Nothing looks like a great read - I hope you enjoy it! And THANKS for the recipe; I really WAS just saying to myself today, "I need something I can use some Starlight mints for!" :)

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  10. Mistress of Nothing sounds like a page-turner. Enjoy all your books!

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  11. Your ebooks look great and so does that fudge!

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  12. The books look good, but the fudge looks wonderful!!!!

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  13. Yummy looking books and YUMMY fudge! Thanks for sharing and for hosting.

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  14. Delirim was great and Angelfire is proving to be wonderful too. Thanks for stopping by.

    What is the Simon and Schuster's Galley Grab? I never heard of it. :o

    Mad Scientist
    http://madsteampunkery.blogspot.com

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  15. Just as I was drooling over your books... I seen the fudge! Writing this one down! :)

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  16. Good books and a delicious recipe...love it!!

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  17. Yummy fudge! Both your books look very interesting! I only received one book last week in my mailbox... and I tried a new recipe today for really great vanilla candy coated oreo balls! I'll be keeping this recipe too! I'll try to do a post for it, but just in case...

    1 pack of oreos, 1 8 oz cream cheese, 1 package candy coating (I used Vanilla Candy Coating from Fred Meyer). Put the first 2 ingredients together in a food processor (blender might work too) and blend until fine and dough-like. Roll into balls, chill at least 15 minutes. Melt candy coating and dip balls in, then decorate with sprinkles. Store in fridge or freezer until ready to use/gift.

    :) Wendi

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  18. Mistress of Nothing looks great. Happy reading and thanks for hosting!

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  19. I'm trying to get leaner mailboxes too, but I'm not baking to make up for it. Your new books and your fudge all look great to me!!

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  20. Darkness Becomes her sounds like a good read. Happy reading and happy holidays! That peppermint fudge sounds yummy!

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  21. OMG the FUDGE!!! I can't get past the fudge! Seriously considering making this now - like right now- and eating it as I go! Thank you!

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  22. Interesting looking books and fudge looks delicious.

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  23. I wish I was at your house so I could have a piece of that yummy looking peppermint fudge!

    Enjoy your book!

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  24. Your two books look really good! Happy reading!

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  25. Sorry I linked twice! The first one was last week's. :-P That fudge looks awesome!!!

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  26. Mistress of Nothing looks great and those brownies look delicious!

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  27. That peppermint fudge looks delicious! Thanks for adding recipes to your mailbox posts. Nothing goes better with books than chocolate... okay - maybe coffee too!

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  28. Just wanted to let you know that I'm using Firefox and I can't see the cover images for either of your books! I had to reload the page on IE to find out the titles.

    I want to read Pullinger's book too -- hope it's a good one!

    Thanks for hosting!

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  29. Good books and good food, what more could you ask for! Hope you enjoy them,
    Natalie :0)
    www.thebookinn.net

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  30. Your two books look very good but that fudge is killing me! I am having a huge chocolate craving and now I am thinking I may have to make some fudge. Thanks for the great recipe and for hosting MM.

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  31. Your books are very different and both sound really good. And of course the fudge looks delicious! I'm trying that recipe for sure!

    Thanks for hosting and happy holidays!!

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  32. I think I just love anything with peppermint in it. Enjoy your books, too.

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  33. I've been getting less books lately too, at least in the mail...I haven't been posting about the books I've been receiving on my Kindle. I think I'm going to check out that Simon and Schuster Galley Grab.

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  34. Mmmmmmm . . . peppermint fudge sounds delish!

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  35. I didn't leave a link since my website is a story, but I just started Herding Donkeys. Any Deanites here? You'd love it.

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I love comments! Getting feedback on my posts makes my day! Thanks for being here!