Author Archives: Queen Thrifty

Father’s Day Gift Guides: 21 Best Books for Every Kind of Dad!

Posted in #GiftGuide, #giftidea, #gifts, #hamilton by

It’s time to celebrate the dad and all the great things he does throughout the year! Independent publishers Rocky Nook and Ulysses Press have great new reads for all of dad’s interests and hobbies, including grilling and cooking, photography, LEGOs, dad jokes, trivia, history, and so much more.

Take a look below for the best books for your Pops this Father’s Day. Media assets and review copies are available upon request. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

HOBBIES
Lego with Dad: Creatively Awesome Brick Projects for Parents and Kids to Build Together by Warren Nash (Rocky Nook, $24.95)

See It with a Small Telescope: 101 Cosmic Wonders Including Planets, Moons, Comets, Galaxies, Nebulae, Star Clusters and More by Will Kalif (Ulysses Press, $14.95)

GRILLING
The Kamado Smoker and Grill Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for the World’s Best Barbecue by Chris Grove (Ulysses Press, $24.95) 

The Wood Pellet Smoker and Grill Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for the Most Flavorful and Delicious Barbecue by Peter Jautaikis (Ulysses Press, $24.95) 

The Infrared Grill Master: Recipes and Techniques for Perfectly Seared, Deliciously Smokey BBQ Every Time by Jenny Dorsey (Ulysses Press, $19.95) 

The Flippin’ Awesome Backyard Griddle Cookbook: Tasty Recipes, Pro Tips and Bold Ideas for Outdoor Flat Top Grillin’ by Paul Sidoriak (Ulysses Press, $18.95) 

COOKING
Wild Yeast: The French Baker’s Guide to Making Your Own Starter for Delicious Bread, Pizza, Desserts, and More! by Mouni Abdelli (Rocky Nook, $24.95)

The Unofficial ALDI Cookbook: Delicious Recipes Made with Fan Favorites from the Award-Winning Grocery Store by Jeanette Hurt (Ulysses Press, $17.95)

The I Love Trader Joe’s Cookbook: 10th Anniversary Edition: 150 Delicious Recipes Using Favorite Ingredients from the Greatest Grocery Store in the World (Unofficial Trader Joe’s Cookbooks) by Cherie Mercer Twohy (Ulysses Press, $19.95)

PHOTOGRAPHY
The iPhone Photography Book: How to Get Professional-Looking Images Using the Camera You Always Have With You by Scott Kelby (Rocky Nook, $29.95)

Dogtography: A Knock-Your-Socks-Off Guide to Capturing the Best Dog Photos on Earth by Kaylee Greer (Rocky Nook, $45)

Street Photography Assignments: 75 Reasons to Hit the Streets and Learn by Valerie Jardin (Rocky Nook, $30)

Light on The Landscape: Photographs and Lessons from a Life in Photography by William Neill (Rocky Nook, $45)

The Digital Photography Book: The step-by-step secrets for how to make your photos look like the pros’ by Scott Kelby (Rocky Nook, $29.95)

Dusk to Dawn: A Guide to Landscape Photography at Night by Glenn Randall (Rocky Nook, $39.95)

Mastering Bird Photography: The Art, Craft, and Technique of Photographing Birds and Their Behavior by Marie Read (Rocky Nook, $49.95)

HISTORY, HUMOR, & TRIVIA
The Ultimate Book of Dad Jokes: 1,001+ Punny Jokes Your Pops Will Love Telling Over and Over and Over… by Gordon Hideaki Nagai (Ulysses Press, $12.95) 

Can Holding in a Fart Kill You?: Over 150 Curious Questions and Intriguing Answers (Fascinating Bathroom Readers) by Andrew Thompson (Ulysses Press, $12.95) 

The Bowery Boys: Adventures in Old New York: An Unconventional Exploration of Manhattan’s Historic Neighborhoods, Secret Spots and Colorful Characters by Greg Young and Tom Meyers (Ulysses Press, $17.95) 

The Big Book of Spy Trivia: Spy Stories, Secret Agent Facts, and Espionage Skills from History’s Greatest Covert Missions by Bernadette Johnson (Ulysses Press, $14.95) 

The Big Book of Infectious Disease Trivia: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the World’s Worst Pandemics, Epidemics, and Diseases by Kristina Wright (Ulysses Press, $14.95)

Frozen Summer Treats for Kids

Posted in Easy Recipes, family fun, Frozen Treats, Kids Summer Frozen Treats, Recipes, Review by

Frozen Summer Treats for Kids - Ra'Nesha (1)

With Memorial Day being Monday and summer just around the corner I have the perfect ice cold treats round up.

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Summer Breeze Cocktail

Posted in #COCKTAIL, #cocktails, Review by

Are you hosting guest this Mother’s Day or preparing for a small gathering I’ve got a refreshing cocktail your guest will be raving about. We have a signature cocktail we serve at home when friends or family visit maybe you add Summer Breeze to your list. 

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Vooks Animated Books Streaming Service + Giveaway

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Have you heard of Vooks? Vooks is a fun new way to learn and focus on reading. Vooks is a book-streaming platform that animates storybooks.

Chloe was so exciting to grab her tablet so we can review the titles and kickoff story time. I love that Vooks doesn’t have any ad pop ups it’s 100% kid-friendly! Download Vook and watch the magic happen as your child enjoy narrated stories and sound effects bringing the characters to life. Vooks strengthens literacy and vocabulary & promotes independent learning.

For teachers and parents Vooks Lesson Plans extend the learning beyond each storybook. Each Lesson Plan provides themes, summaries, talking points, discussion topics, activity ideas and even vocabulary cards. When visiting the site select the book below to download the PDF and get started.

Try free for 30 days! Go to to https://www.vooks.com/subscribe/?utm_source=collide sign up! I’m certainly you’ll love it.

Here’s Your Chance To Win A (1) Year Free Vooks account. How To Enter:

  1. Make sure you’re following Queen Thrifty on FB and Vooks on Twitter
  2. Below share with me your favorite bedtime story as a kid.

This giveaway ends on 4/29 at 9 am winners will be chosen at random and posted. Winners will have 2 hours to respond or someone else will be selected.

Smashing Delicious Peach Sangria

Posted in #COCKTAIL, #DrinkRecipes, Review by

Peach Sangria is one of my favorites with summer just around the corner, we all deserve something nice and refreshing. Whether you’re sipping alone or serving guest this Peach Sangria recipe is perfect for all occasions. This recipe is super easy there are only 4 ingredients!  Continue reading →

We’re Celebrating #EarthDay With Zak Designs Planeterra Line

Posted in Review by

Over past year my husband and I have began to focus more on recycling and becoming more environmentally conscious. I’ve also become more aware of brands like Zak Designs that has taken many strides to provide their customers with products that help them lower their individual carbon footprints. This Earth Day, however, Zak Designs is taking its  commitment to the planet to the next level by launching the Planeterra™ line of environmentally  responsible products and partnering with Leave No Trace to help spread the message about the  importance of protecting nature.  

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Arlo The Alligator Boy Review & Roundtable Chat With The Cast

Posted in #Movie, Review by

I had to the opportunity to chat with the cast and director of Netflix’s newly animated film ARLO THE ALLIGATOR BOY. Starting Michael J. Woodard (“Arlo,” former contestant on Season 16 of American Idol), Mary Lambert (“Bertie,” Grammy-nominated for her collaboration on “Same Love” with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis) and Ryan Crego (director & EP, story artist on Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda 2 and more). Here some highlights from the interview.

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Warner Bros Upcoming Movie Release On HBOMax

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As a gamer growing up Mortal Kombat was one of my favorite games to play with my brother. When I read up on the HBOMax monthly movie releases in partnership Warner Bros I was so excited.

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Strawberry Jolly Rancher Slushy Cocktail Recipe

Posted in #COCKTAIL, Review by

There is nothing like a refreshing beverage on a warm breezy Spring day to quench your thirst. With the temperatures are warming up I thought I’d share my favorite Strawberry Jolly Rancher Slushy recipe.

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Delicious Smoothie Recipes

Posted in #breakfast, #smoothies, Recipes, Review by

“Many people don’t eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Making a fruit smoothie is an easy way to increase your produce consumption because these drinks often contain multiple servings of fruit and sometimes vegetables as well. Unlike fruit juice, smoothies also provide fiber, because you use the whole edible portion of the fruit. Fruit smoothies typically contain significant amounts of folate, vitamin C, and potassium, because fruits are good sources of these nutrients. These smoothies can also provide other essential nutrients.” – Living Strong

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