Leslie Keller Books

Here are some interesting new releases to check out. I've included one of my favorite authors and some that I've never read. It's exciting to me to immerse myself in someone's work which I've never sampled. This is the best way to break out of reading the same old story. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty Lianne is one of my favorite authors. I’m always excited to discover what twists she can come up with. If you haven’t read her books, I recommend reading any of them or you can watch the series created from her book, Big Little Lies starring another Australian, Nicole Kidman. It’s expensive at $17.39 for the hardcover and $14.99 for a Kindle eBook version so I will wait until the price comes down. Here is the book description: Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering,

“I gave up on happily ever after. Maybe I'm not cut out for a relationship. Maybe, I just don't like being committed to one person for longer than two weeks." =============================== Clare's story continues in Part Four. As Clare and Mae meandered back to the house, after checking that all of the animals had fresh water and hay, Clare remembered something else Mae said. “Granny, did you say Wyatt had a little girl to take care of?” “Yes, that child is about as sweet as you were back in the day.” “I didn’t know he was married.” “You seem awfully interested in what’s going on with Wyatt. I seem to remember thinking you two were perfect for each other. It was as if I wouldn’t see one of you without the other trailing behind.” “Me and Wyatt?  No way. He was always a thorn in my side. Trouble with a capital T. I’m surprised he could find someone crazy enough to marry him.” “I didn’t say he was married.” “So he’s not?” “I suppos

Magic and Chance - my current two rescues.  Magic was abandoned in my neighborhood and it took six weeks before I could approach him.  Chance came to us from Halo as a kitten to provide companionship to Magic.  They don't always get along this well as Chance is a bit of a brat. As an animal rescue advocate I couldn't consider purchasing a pet. There are so many abandoned animals waiting and hoping someone will come along and love them. It shatters my faith in mankind to see the condition some are in when arriving at the shelters. Despite that the generosity and devotion by volunteers renews my belief that so some people will give selflessly of their time and money to correct the wrongs. Lately I've not had the time I wish I could devote to Halo Animal Rescue but I hope the information I'm providing will motivate to you become a contributor - in any fashion. Even a few dollars goes a long way to provide the food and care these wonderful cats and dogs deserve.

Photo by Jennifer Pallian In honor of the Thanksgiving season, I decided a mulled cider punch would be good.  The recipe is non-alcoholic but I've added a bit of bourbon at the end for those who want the stronger version. You can also substitute rum, tequila or brandy, depending on your taste. 2 gallons Apple Cider 3 lemons, sliced - reserve one for garnish 3 oranges, sliced - reserve one for garnish 5 cinnamon sticks 1 tab cinnamon 1 tab nutmeg 6 whole cloves 1 1/2 ounce Bourbon per serving. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Heat to a light boil. Allow to cool. Pour the bourbon over ice in a rocks glass. Pour the cider over the bourbon. Garnish with a lemon or orange slice Makes approximately 20 servings. Remember to always drink responsibly. Cheers Jayne Leslie's Website       Twitter       Instagram       Facebook       Menu for Murder       Cocktails at Sunset

For this month's crazy criminals I expected to find many more instances of dumb criminals in Arizona but they were harder to find than in some states. There are, however many instances of criminals who give themselves away due to the tattoos on their body. I didn't include all of them since it becomes repetitious to read about one after the other "DUH" moments for criminals.  If they aren't posting their pictures on social media, they are broadcasting who they are via their ink. Here are a couple of oldies but goodies from the Phoenix New Times from 2012: Moses Ulloa, who was booked for meth possession, has a tattoo of the City of Glendale logo plastered on the top of his head and "Murdercopa County" tattooed on his neck. The other, Vicente Valles -- who was arrested on domestic violence charges -- has the City of Tempe logo emblazoned on his chin and an Arizona State University logo inscribed across his cheek. Dudley Chan just wasn't getting e

For a scrumptious taste of Mexican, this is the place to be. It's been at least fifteen years since I tried Valle Luna and now I can't squeeze in the door often enough. A friend wanted to try the restaurant and I was willing to see if it had changed. I remembered the food was good and the parking lot is always full.  We ate here first on a Tuesday night and the second time on a Thursday which happened to be National Taco Day - oh boy! Valle Luna was established in the mid 1970's and continues to be a family owned and operated restaurant.  It's surprisingly spacious inside with typical Mexican/Arizona décor.  Don't worry it has been updated over the years. With more than 1500 positive Google reviews you know I'm not the only one in love. I'm sorry to say that both times I ordered the same thing - not because I'm afraid to try something new but because the first time the tacos were so good I couldn't resist. My friend ordered the Asada Enchila

The Letter is not a cozy but does have a small element of mystery. There are some spoilers but I will try to keep them to a minimum. This is the first book I have read by this author. Unrelated to the book I have to voice a compliant regarding the advertising on Amazon for the title.  This book is displayed as, "The Letter - the No 1 Ebook Bestseller".  Whether it's a great marketing strategy or false advertising I cannot say but I don't want commentary in the title. We meet Tina Craig in the current day gardening with her grandchild.  The book uses the short introduction as an excuse to send the reader back to 1973 when Tina is married to Rick. She lives in fear of what might set him off - unfounded jealousy, losing his job, losing his money on bets that never pay off.  Domestic abuse, alcoholism and gambling addiction set the stage for her story. Any one of these problems might have been enough for the story but frequently they occur simultaneously in real lif