Chips (and) Challenges

this newsletter has absolutely nothing to do with my favorite computer game ever

Feb 28, 2024

Y’all, I’ve made the worst1 mistake a parent can possibly make. This week, the toddler was fussing during lunch, so I asked her to tell me what was hurting. She pointed to her rear and in the most adorable voice, with a wide-eyed, innocent look on her face, said (for the first time ever), “butt.” And of course I burst out laughing. So obviously, she starts repeating “butt!” over and over again, and I’m in tears from laughing so hard. (Why do kids think butts are so funny? Probably thanks to parents like me who have the maturity of a five-year-old. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Hashtag sorry not sorry.)

For those of you who are parents (or spend a lot of time around kids) please tell me, what is the worst thing your kids have done that you know you shouldn’t be encouraging, but couldn’t help but(t) laugh at? I’ll just be over here snickering while my kid runs around screaming “butt!” all day…

What I’m reading

We Own the Night by Ashley Poston

I’ve loved all the Ashley Poston books I’ve read in the past, but this one was almost a DNF for me. It’s super teen angsty, very depressing at times, and in serious need of an editor. But I pushed through and finished it, and I’m glad I did. The book follows a girl in small town Nebraska who secretly has a radio show. It deals in heartbreak and loss, but also love and following your dreams. In the second half it went from a DNF to a can’t put it down, and had me sobbing all over my nursing toddler in the middle of the night. The ending was sweet and hopeful, and despite my initial complaints, I’m happy to have read it.

Anatomy: A Love Story (The Anatomy Duology Book 1) by Dana Schwartz

This is the story of a young woman in 1800s Edinburg who wants, more than anything, to be a physician - and the risks she’ll take to get there. It is a story about love, but also about breaking barriers, stopping injustices, and just a teeny tiny bit of magic. I’m hoping the magic bit will be explored more in book 2, which my library unfortunately does not have yet. The ending of book 1 is a bit unsatisfying, but I’m hoping book 2 will wrap it all up more satisfactorily.

The Canopy Keepers (The Scorched Earth Book 1) by Veronica G. Henry

This was my February First Reads pick. From what I’ve read of it, it’s a very good book! But, as you might have guessed, it’s a DNF… for now. It begins with a tragedy, and although not all hope is lost, it continues to be very depressing - deaths, the worsening of fire season on the west coast, sexism… it was just too much of a downer for me, especially since most of my reading time is when I’m up nursing in the middle of the night. I would like to finish this eventually, because it’s a good story so far! But it might have to wait until life is a little more relaxed.

Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews

This is a standalone novella, unrelated to their other worlds. I’m a big fan of their books, and I’ve read almost everything they’ve published (their On The Edge series is the last one I haven’t read, and that will be coming up soon). Compared to their other stories, this is a good bit more brutal (check the trigger warnings), and way less spicy.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book so addictively unputdownable, but I read this in a single day! This adorable murder mystery features Vera, an older Chinese mom with a failing tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown, who discovers a dead man in the middle of her shop one morning… and subsequently decides the police are incompetent and that she’s clearly the best person to solve the mystery. Along the way she develops a fondness for her four suspects, cooks enough food to feed the entire city, and finds a renewed sense of purpose in life for both herself and all her suspects. There are so many unexpected twists and turns, and a very satisfying ending. I’d heard of but hadn’t read her Dial A for Aunties book yet, but that will be coming up soon!

Lightlark (The Lightlark Saga Book 1) by Alex Aster

This is exactly the type of book I love. A curse, a competition, an underdog, a love triangle. Mystery and intrigue, and a whole lot of magic. I love the writing, the characters, and then unexpected twists and turns along the way. It wraps everything up nicely but still ends on a cliffhanger, so I’m really hoping my library acquires book 2 soon!

What we’re eating

Stuffed bell peppers. I’ve barely been cooking lately (there’s been so much food from the in-laws and too much eating out this year), and even this only barely counts! But at our Lunar New Year celebration, my mother-in-law didn’t have time to make these stuffed bell peppers, but she’d already mixed and marinated the meat, so she sent the meat and bell peppers home with us so I could cook it. I stuffed the meat in the bell peppers, put it in a baking dish with a little water on the bottom (so any drippings wouldn’t burn), and baked it at 400F for about 45m, or until a probe thermometer registered at 165F.

Cassava tortilla chips. We’re kind of obsessed with these. I discovered the Siete brand when I went gluten-free and dairy-free for a few months to see if it helped my RA (spoiler alert: it did not, but I also have an extremely mild case so ymmv) and their stuff is so tasty we’re still buying it even though I no longer have any dietary restrictions. Their cassava tortilla chips are super light and kind of addictive; we’ve been eating them with guacamole, hummus, and snacking on them plain. The toddler is also a big fan. Their grain-free buñuelos are also dangerously good.

That’s all for this week! What have you been eating and reading lately? Reply to this email or let me know in the comments - I’m always looking for food inspiration and books to add to my TBR!

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