07 | November | 2023 | Plaid Line + PRIZM + Scottie News

By M. Ahmadad

The warmer half of October is over, now people are looking forward to the temperature cooling down and getting ready for the snow brought by November and December. Before that, I recommend you try a dessert by Just Jill* (on https://justjill.com) and consider trying this one before moving onto the warmth of hot cocoa.

We already know and love a lot of pumpkin classics, pies, cakes, cupcakes, lattes, etc. so, an apple brownie is a perfect thing to try this month. Apples tasting the best during the fall and with just a bit of cinnamon and caramel if you’d like.

Just Jill’s Apple Brownies

*The recipe/dessert does not belong to me, credit goes to respective owner. The article’s purpose is a recommendation alongside things that I personally add to it while making this dessert

Soft brownies made with vanilla and brown sugar, crunchy and sweet with chopped apples. Brownies are a really versatile and easy dessert, so adding additional things doesn’t take away from the forming of the pastry.

I recommend adding cinnamon and a bit of apple cider (sweetened or unsweetened) into the dry and wet ingredients to boost the recipe’s taste, and chop the apples however thin or thick you’d like depending on the portion you’re making.

A great alternative for those who are tired of pumpkin flavored snacks put in shops and at cafes everywhere during October.

For a link to the recipe: https://justjill.com/apple-brownies/

By: Abisola Dosunmu

This book is a murder mystery from the viewpoint of a girl who believes her cousin died not from an overdose, but that someone murdered her. Hannah is left stunned and reeling when Sophie, her best friend and cousin, dies of an opioid overdose. This book is narrated by Hannah, during the time when it moves the timeline from her junior to senior year. She resolves to find out who sold Sophie the drugs, and the result is a haunting storyline that delves into the complexities of substance abuse.

My personal review of this book without revealing too much was that the main character is a force of nature. She has the drive and the character to try and solve a mystery that everyone says isn’t there, while grieving her best friend. She and all the other side characters developed well over the course of the story. It’s a very realistic story that tells hard truths about substance abuse.

The subject matter, without revealing too much about the book, deals with topics of addiction and grief. A message that emerges throughout the book is how a person can be multi-faceted and more complex than you think. What I loved about the book was the realness of it. The characters had personalities and emotions and were funny and sad and it was all very poignant throughout the book.

What I disliked about the book were that the timelines weren’t linear, that it was too confusing to sort through, and it distracted from the book. There was a lot of adult content like violence and drug abuse, so it’s not something I’d recommend little kids reading.

But altogether, the book was a fantastic read, and really showed how sometimes you have to step back and realize you’ve done everything you could. I’d give it a four out of five.

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