These White Chocolate-Covered Bananas Are Our Favorite 4th of July Dessert

Themed string lights might just be the easiest way to look like you put in a ton of effort while not actually doing so. The super affordable set includes 100 incandescent mini bulbs on white wire, with a total length of 26.7 feet and equal spacing of 3 inches between each bulb. The 20-inch lead wire and 3-inch end connector make it easy to install and connect end to end for streamlined decorating.

These red, white, and blue string lights will look beautiful for your last-minute 4th of July party and can be repurposed for anything from Memorial Day to Veterans Day. Whether you place them on trees, vines, porches, or balconies, these 360° sparkling waterproof string lights can provide attractive lighting effects while creating a romantic festive atmosphere.

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If red, white, and blue lights just weren’t enough American flair for you, this extravagant decoration kit will be right up your alley. This set includes 6 different sizes of paper fans, 8 paper pom poms in the colors red, white, and blue, 12 hanging swirls in the same colors, a USA flag banner, a red-blue-silver star banner, and a package of red-blue-white stars in 3 sizes.

These decorations can be easily hung up with the self-sealing sticker or with paperclips if you would like to reuse them for future parties. To assemble the pom poms, you should ensure that the ribbon is in the middle of each one and open them like a fan before tearing apart the layers and creating a more rounded shape.

With these decorations, you can easily add color, texture, and glamour to any room or outdoor space, making them a perfect way to spice up your patriotic party.

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If you’re having a lot of people over this 4th, you most likely don’t have enough plates at your house already — that’s why paper plates are a must-have. (They also mean super easy clean up!) Sure, you could choose plain white ones, but why not choose a patriotic, American flag-themed set to fit the theme?

This set includes fifty 9-inch dinner plates, fifty 7-inch dessert plates, and one hundred luncheon napkins for a total of fifty guests. The party set features a bright red, white, and blue American flag with stars and stripes on all items, adding dimension and charm to any gathering.

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The best way to elevate an ordinary gathering to a fancy one has to be a charcuterie board. This set combines an elegant large charcuterie board with a bamboo cheese board and accompanying accessories, providing plenty of space to display a variety of meats, cheeses, crackers, vegetables, fruit, and other delicious delectables. The included ceramic serving bowls are great for sauces and dips, while the magnetic holder keeps four knives and utensils upright and easily accessible.

For added versatility and functionality, the gift set also includes a round bamboo fruit tray. Plus, each set comes with a free guide booklet offering design suggestions to help you create unique and gorgeous platters that will impress all your guests.

Made from an earth-friendly material that is properly sourced and highly renewable, the SMIRLY Charcuterie Boards Gift Set is made of nonporous bamboo that won't bend, warp, crack, absorb odors, or stain. This low-maintenance wooden set is sure to become a reliable favorite when entertaining or serving, and with its attractive natural aesthetic value, it's perfect for special occasions.

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Any outdoor summer party calls for watermelon. Treat yourself and your guests without breaking a sweat trying to neatly slice a massive watermelon. This watermelon slicer is the ultimate tool for watermelon lovers. Its newest superior design makes cutting and serving watermelon simple, safe, and fast.

This melon cutter features a stainless steel 18/8 blade that provides perfectly cube-shaped slices of watermelon every time it is used. The slicing mechanism allows you to cut the watermelon into ideal cubes sized 2 cm or less. The specially rounded edges and non-sharp blades make the slicer perfectly safe for everyone, even children. No need to worry about any accidents occurring while using this tool. Everyone can enjoy delicious and refreshing watermelon cubes without dealing with any drippy mess.

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You could just get store-bought popsicles, but that’s a little boring. Wow your guests with unique homemade popsicles with these popsicle molds. By making your own, you can get really creative with the flavor options. Try mixing different fruit juices or even adding alcohol to really take your popsicles to the next level.

Upgraded design features like the hollow shank design perfectly matches the reusable plastic popsicle sticks and prevents juice from overflowing, creating an even more perfect shape. Thanks to the product’s silicone material, pulling out frozen treats is easy and can be done without submerging the mold in hot water.

The product also has multi-uses, filling it with juice, puree, yogurt, apple sauce, ice cream, and more. The set comes with 50 sticks, 50 bags, 10 reusable sticks, a funnel, and some ice pop recipes so you can make ten popsicles at once and then store them in their individual bags in order to freeze them. Each of the ten classically shaped molds holds 3 fluid ounces making each treat comparable to store-bought finds.

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No-Bake Pie Crust

This is hands-down the *easiest* pie crust you will ever make! Think of this recipe as the total rockstar of your 4th of July dessert lineup.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cup cookie or cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup salted butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Combine cookie or cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a food processor. Pulse until combined.
2. Pour the crust mixture into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Press into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Chill in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes.

Combine cookie or cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a food processor. Pulse until combined.

Pour the crust mixture into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Press into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Chill in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes.

Ta-da! Three perfect pie crusts. We made one with Nilla Wafers, one with Golden Oreos, and one with Ritz Crackers.

Lemon Cream Pie Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 Golden Oreo pie crust (directions above)
• 1 14 oz can condensed milk
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• Fresh berries

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest until fluffy.
2. Pour filling into the pie pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Freeze for 20-30 minutes, until firm.
3. Remove from the freezer. Use raspberries and blueberries to make a star design on the top of the pie.

Pour filling into the pie pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Freeze for 20-30 minutes, until firm.

Remove from the freezer. Use raspberries and blueberries to make a star design on the top of the pie.

Raspberry Cream Pie Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 Nilla Wafer pie crust (directions above)
• 1 14 oz can condensed milk
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 2 to 3 tablespoons raspberry jam
• Fresh berries

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest until fluffy. Add raspberry jam.
2. Pour filling into the pie pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Freeze for 20-30 minutes, until firm.
3. Remove from the freezer. Use raspberries, blueberries and blackberries to make a stripe design on top of the pie.

Blueberry Cream Pie Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 Ritz Cracker pie crust (directions above)
• 1 14 oz can condensed milk
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 2 to 3 tablespoons blueberry jam
• Fresh berries

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest until fluffy. Add blueberry jam.
2. Pour filling into the pie pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Freeze for 20-30 minutes, until firm.
3. Remove from the freezer. Use raspberries and blackberries to top the pie.

How easy was that?

Now just add some whipped cream to each pie, and you’re ready to roll!

It’s pie time!

Happy 4th of July! The fact that these recipes don't require an oven just makes us love them even more. These pies will make the holiday a *berry* good time!

May 2024: How to End a Love Story

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

April 2024: The Most Fun We Ever Had

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fell in love, all they knew is that nothing could shake their foundation. Despite their unwavering hope in the past, their current reality looks differently than they imagined. Their four daughters — Wendy, Violet, Liza, and Grace — each have a unique set of problems that creates of chaos for the family. From the loss of one's husband to the secrets the youngest daughter keeps, the Sorensons are never quite sure what to expect.

In a shocking turn of events, a young man — Jonah Bendt — shows up and reveals that one of the daughters is his mom. He was placed up for adoption some time ago, but he's ready to come home to learn more about his biological family. There may be drama in The Most Fun We Ever Had, but there's still a family who finds a way back to the love that Marilyn and David have always believed in.

Art student Raquel only comes Anita de Monte's story after she starts feeling like she's starting to make a name for herself among College Hill's socialites. The more she learns about how Anita's life was horrifically cut short, she starts drawing parallels between their lives. It's almost like history is repeating itself and it's hitting too close to home.

As Gonzalez alternates between both of their perspectives, Raquel and Anita's lives begin to intersect in a way that makes Anita de Monte Laughs Last the kind of novel that'll have you thinking about it longer after you finish the last page.

Redwood Court reads like a historical love letter to Black families and contains relationships that remind me of my own family. When Mika Tabor starts asking questions about her family's history, she receives much more than her class assignment asked for. The more she listens to her grandparents and observes her parents, she realizes they've been telling her meaningful stories all along. From tales of racism to the sweet grasp of a world that began moving past obvious racial tension, this novel offers a glimpse into the homes of many Black families.

While I often say I'd like to pass down books to my kids, Redwood Court has become something that I feel is mandatory to read.

January 2024: "First Lie Wins" by Ashley Elston

Reese's Book Club is coming in hot with their first pick of the year! This thriller of a reader is all about "Evie Porter" and her separate identities. One paints the picture of who she truly is, but her job places her in the position of assuming a new name in order to complete the mission given to her by Mr. Smith. She's never met Mr. Smith, her boss, but she has the inkling that her latest mission hits a little too close to home.

Does he know more about her than she realizes and can she successfully fulfill the goal he has for? Buy your copy of First Lie Wins today to find out!

What would you do if you knew a terrible secret that involved the death of one of your best friends? In Before We Were Innocent, Bess and Joni find themselves trying to escape answering this. However, some things are hard to bury — especially when the past comes knocking in the form of Joni. Will the two former best friends be able to maintain their innocence or will they have to accept the truth about themselves?

If the past few years have felt like you've been stuck in a weird time loop, you'll love this page turner by Cesca Major. Maybe Next Time follows Emma as she navigates being a busy literary agent, wife and mother - except she only seems to have time for her career. When her husband is involved in a tragic car accident, Emma finds herself distraught only to wake up and see him alive again.

As the scenario continues to repeat, Emma will have to dig deep inside herself to correct patterns she's been a part of her to save not only her husband but life as she knows it.

Starling House is a daring tale of what happens when dreams meet determination, grit and evil. All Opal wants to do is create a haven for herself and her brother Jasper but she'll have to fight for it once she finds herself in the mysterious mansion of author E. Starling. In the depths of the shadows, she'll come face to face with things that'll test her resilience.

The women of the Rubicon family have a lot to tangle with in Mother-Daughter Murder Night. When powerful matriarch Lana's granddaughter Jack becomes the prime suspect in an unsolved murder, Lana becomes determined to find a killer instead of waiting for her disease to have it's last say. Find out what Nina Simon has in store for the town the Rubicons find themselves living in.

Tom Lake weaves a beautiful tale of remembered love and viewing the humanity of one's parent. When Lara begins to regale her three daughters of a former romance she shared with actor Peter Duke at Tome Lake, they begin to take stock of what they know about their mom as well as their own love lives.

Heartbreak has the potential to make you swear off love, which is something that late night writer Sally Milz knows all too well. She's also a firm believer in the "Danny Horst Rule," the phenomenon where average looking men exclusively date women more attractive than them — until pop star Noah Brewster shows up to host the late night show. Join her for an intoxicating love ride that makes her change her perspective.

If you love a good romance-murder mystery, you'll fall in love with Kya's story. After the town's golden boy winds up dead, everyone in town begins blaming Kya for his murder. With heartbreak and triumph woven throughout, Where The Crawdads Sing will become the summer read you can't put down.

Even when forbidden, love seems to find a way in The House of Eve. 15-year-old Ruby is set to be her family's first college attendee, until it appears a scandalous affair will bring her back into poverty. Meanwhile, Eleanor's in love with William, a member of an elite Black family in D.C. that doesn't let just anyone in. The lives of both women will collide in an unexpected way as they forge their own paths.

Maya witnessed her friend's sudden death in the woods seven years ago. Now, with nothing except a few hazy memories, she's determined to figure out what she saw, and who's behind it. The House In The Pines is proof that sometimes our past — and their secrets — don't stay dead.

Life can feel like a dumpster fire sometimes which is why Tiny Beautiful Things feels like a soothing hug. If you love advice columns, you'll love the beautiful compilation of questions "Dear Sugar" answers within the pages as Clare sets out to offer advice while her own life falls apart. After you read the book, check out our interview with Sarah Pidgeon, who stars in the Hulu series!

New friends Mia and Elena are pitted against each other when everyone in town splits over a custody battle. Adapted into a mini-series on Hulu at the beginning of the pandemic, Little Fires Everywhere is a tale that shows everything isn't always what it seems, and there are always secrets to be discovered.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time is a novel that explores the lengths a mother is willing to take to prevent her son from doing something unspeakable. Will she be able to piece together clues in time or will all hope remain lost?

This titular novel turned Emmy award-nominated Amazon Prime series Daisy Jones & The Six explores the rise — and fall — of a legendary (and fictional) band.

This heartwarming book about life at the River Valley School for the Deaf, and all of its students with completely different backgrounds, will make you laugh and cry with its beautiful depiction of human connection.

If you've never liked hearing "How can you hate from outside the club? You can't even get in," you'll be glad you're not a part of this members-only society. The club has been pushed to its limit and everyone has something to hide.

Nan infiltrates Agatha Christie's home in 1925, intent on luring her husband away. There's something about love, affairs, and dark secrets that make for a good read, and you won't be able to get enough of this tale where things aren't always what they seem.

"She's so lucky" ...or is she? Lucky redefines what it means to be honest when the titular character completes a million-dollar heist, and is left stranded by the very people who taught her how to scam.

When Anna learns the father she never knew is still alive, she travels to West Africa in search of answers. The tale of self-discovery through one's history, as well as the themes of home and belonging, is something we all long to understand at some point.

Families can be complicated, and the Alvarados are no different. If you're looking for a little break from your own family dynamics, you'll get a kick out of reading along as they navigate evacuations, relationship problems, and their father's obsession with the Weather Channel.

What happens when desire spills over and threatens to unravel everything two friends have built? The Paper Palace answers that as Elle must choose between continuing the life she has dedicated herself to and the life she never got to live.

When former lovers Eva and Shane reunite in the midst of their successful literary careers, they find that their chemistry is still as strong as it used to be. But, will the flame fizzle before their lingering questions are answered or will Eva choose vulnerability before Shane disappears again?

What would you do if your significant other disappeared without a trace, only leaving a cryptic note behind? In Hannah's case, she sets out on an unpredictable mission for answers — regardless of what lies ahead. After you read the book, check out our interview with Angourie Rice, who stars in the Apple TV+ series!

Le Sommet is a sanatorium-turned-luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps. Detective Elin arrives to celebrate her estranged brother Isaac's engagement to Laure, and her discomfort turns to all-out horror when Laure goes missing.

DNA tests can reveal new information about our ancestry, but when Abby learns that she has an older sister — and that her older sister is an Instagram star — the women decide to meet up and get to the bottom of why their parents split them up in the first place.

Nothing brings families together like food and age-old rivalries, something that sisters Amanda and Mae learn firsthand when they end up on opposite sides of a cooking competition. If you love hit TV series The Bear, you'll love The Chicken Sisters.

Other Stories On Reese Witherspoon's Book Club List

• "Yellowface" by R.F. Kuang
• "Cassandra in Reverse" by Holly Smale
• "Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?" by Crystal Smith Paul
• "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah
• "The Marriage Portrait" by Maggie O'Farrell
• "Our Missing Hearts" by Celeste Ng
• "On The Rooftop" by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
• "Honey & Spice" by Bolu Babalola
• "Counterfeit" by Kirstin Chen
• "The Dictionary of Lost Words" by Pip Williams
• "Anatomy" by Dana Schwartz
• "Honor" by Thrity Umrigar
• "The Island of Missing Trees" by Elif Shafak
• "Within These Wicked Walls" by Lauren Blackwood
• "We Were Never Here" by Andrea Bartz
• "The Downstairs Girl" by Stacey Lee
• "Tokyo Ever After" by Emiko Jean
• "Northern Spy" by Flynn Berry
• "Firekeeper's Daughter" by Angeline Boulley
• "Infinite Country" by Patricia Engel
• "Outlawed" by Anna North
• "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
• "A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow" by Laura Taylor Namey
• "Group" by Christie Tate
• "Fable" by Adrienne Young
• "His Only Wife" by Peace Medie Adzo
• "Furia" by Yamile Saied Mendez
• "The Last Story of Mina Lee" by Nancy Jooyoun Kim
• "You Should See Me in a Crown" by Leah Johnson
• "Everything Inside" by Edwidge Danticat
• "I'm Still Here" by Austin Channing Brown
• "The Guest List" by Lisa Foley
• "The Henna Artist" by Alka Joshi
• "UNTAMED" by Glennon Doyle
• "The Jetsetters" by Amanda Eyre Ward
• "The Scent Keeper" by Erica Bauermeister
• "Such a Fun Age" by Kiley Reid
• "Conviction" by Denise Mina
• "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moye
• "Fair Play" by Eve Rodsky
• "The Secrets We Kept" by Lara Prescott
• "The Last House Guest" by Megan Miranda
• "Whisper Network" by Chandler Baker
• "The Cactus" by Sarah Haywood
• "From Scratch" by Tembi Locke
• "The Night Tiger" by Yangsze Choo
• "The Proposal" by Jasmine Guillory
• "The Library Book" by Susan Orlean
• "One Day in December" by Josie Silver
• "The Other Woman" by Sandie Jones
• "This Is How It Always Is" by Laurie Frankel
• "Still Lives" by Maria Hummel
• "Next Year in Havana" by Chanel Cleeton
• "Something in the Water" by Catherine Steadman
• "You Think It, I'll Say It" by Curtis Sittenfeld
• "Happiness" by Heather Harpham
• "Erotic Stories For Punjabi Widows" by Balli Kaur Jaswal
• "The Light We Lost" by Jill Santopolo
• "Braving the Wilderness" by Brené Brown
• "The Last Mrs. Parrish" by Liv Constantine
• "The Is the Story of a Happy Marriage" by Ann Patchett
• “The Rules of Magic” by Alice Hoffman
• "The Lying Game" by Ruth Ware
• "The Alice Network" by Kate Quinn
• "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman