Baking Spirits Bright by Sarah Fox

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Moving back home to Larch Haven, Vermont has turned out to be good for actress turned chocolatier Rebecca Ransom.  Sure, California had its charms, but so does Larch Haven: the small village has canals running through it, which are quite the tourist attraction.  In summer, there are boat rides in gondolas; in winter, the canals freeze so solid that Becca can skate to work at her family’s sweet shop, True Confections. You might even say that life is sweet for Becca.

The only thing giving her some pause is being entered in the annual Baking Spirits Bright contest: it’s set up like many of the popular baking shows, where a group of bakers have to create confections in a group setting with a time limit. Contestants are eliminated until one is selected as the grand prize winner.  While the prize isn’t life changing, the competition is fierce. But when a contestant ends up dead, the question is, was it worth killing for?

This is the second in the series, but you don’t need to have read the first in order to enjoy this one.  Becca is a likeable character, and is firmly in the inquisitive amateur sleuth category, despite warnings from her police officer friend about the dangers of asking the wrong person the wrong question.  The plot is handled well, with plenty of suspects and motives, as well as a few red herrings.  There’s a bit of romance in the offing as well. In addition, Becca has two cats, which is always a selling point for me! I especially liked the setting in this one. While Larch Haven is fiction, it’s so lovingly described that it feels real.  It’s a place I would love to visit—minus the murders, of course!

Nevermore: The Women; The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse; Ethan Frome

 

Reported by Rita

The Women by Kristin Hannah

In 1965, nursing student Frankie McGrath, after hearing the words “Women can be heroes, too,” impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows her brother to Vietnam where she is overwhelmed by the destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America.

I thought it was too formulaic and not realistic. I didn’t enjoy it.  – CD     3 stars

 

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

A  modern, illustrated fable for readers of all ages that explores life's universal lessons from British illustrator Charlie Mackesy.

The most beautiful book I’ve ever read. The art is fantastic. It’s full of hope, love, and promise. Uplifting.  – NH    5 stars

 

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

A New England farmer must choose between his duty to care for his invalid wife and his love for her cousin.

It’s a very sad story, but worth reading. It was a quick, easy read. I loved it.  – DC      5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

Suffrage Song: the Haunted History of Gender, Race and Voting Rights in the United States of America by Caitlin Cass

Katharine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

The Paris Secret by Karen Swan

Selected Stories by William Trevor

Unbelievable Crimes Volume One: Macabre Yet Unknown True Crime Stories by Daniela Airlie

Unbelievable Crimes Volume Two: Macabre Yet Unknown True Crime Stories by Daniela Airlie

These Tangled Threads by Sarah Loudin Thomas

The Art of the English Murder by Lucy Worsley

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

 

New Books

At War With Ourselves by H. R. McMaster

That Librarian by Amanda Jones

The Art of Gothic Living by Paul Gambino

Cat Pictures, Please: And Other Stories by Naomi Kritzer

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

With a title like that, how could I pass this book up?  Although I was not familiar with multi-award winning author Kritzer’s work, it didn’t take more than a story or two to convince me that all those Hugo, Locus, and Nebula nominations and awards were well deserved. While the trappings may vary—an alternate world where dragons live with Native Americans in the Old West or a town in Nazi Germany or a witch’s hut in a wood—the stories have realistic characters facing realistic problems. There’s also a gentle sweetness, even if the stories don’t end as I might have liked.

The title story, Cat Pictures, Please, is about a sentient AI who, well, likes to look at cat pictures.  But while looking at the pictures, it becomes interested in the lives of the people who post them and believes that it can help the people with their problems.  The trouble is that some people will just NOT take a hint. They’d rather moan about their current job that look at all the helpful job postings that are appearing in their online feed or the offers of free resume help.  It’s most frustrating.  This is a delightful tale that really carries the ring of truth.

The Wall is another intriguing story about a college student faced with an alleged time traveller who is trying to talk her into an impromptu trip to Germany for some reason.  The woman seems to know a lot about her, but is this some sort of scam?

What Happened at Blessing Creek is one of the grittiest stories, in which a group of pioneers are looking for a place to settle on Osage lands.  One of the group is a young girl who has some psychic powers and who is faced with a difficult choice, one which will have devastating consequences. 

The Good Son is the story of an Irish fae who is attracted to a mortal woman and who follows her to her home in Minnesota.  He soon finds out that the mortal world can be more complicated than he anticipated—especially in matters of the heart.

There are seventeen stories in all, and there’s not a clunker in the bunch.  This collection is highly recommended.  And don't let the cover put you off--this book is more about humans than technology.

Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals by Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George

Reviewed by Jeanne

“Hey, good lookin’—what ya got cookin’?” comes from a Hank Williams song, but it’s the very apt phrase Dolly and her sister say or sing when they enter a kitchen.  Food is a love language, and both sisters and many of their relatives speak it well.  Each sister writes a separate introduction about what food means to them, and then one together which gives their philosophy of cooking, as it were. They believe in planning ahead but being able to improvise; in timing the preparation so that the cook is with the family and not hidden away in the kitchen; and in the treasured memories that come from cooking and eating with those you love.

The cookbook is divided up by months, with one meal for each month: an “Opening Act” appetizer, the main courses, including meat and vegetables, and then the “Encore” dessert.  Some of the meals are tied to celebrations, so of course November features dishes for Thanksgiving, while July has food more suited for a cookout.  However, the sisters take pains to explain that these dishes can be made for any occasion (though you might want to leave the licorice legs off the spider cake for a non-October treat).  The idea is to have certain recipes that you can use any time in any combination to come up with a winning meal. As a bonus, there are festive pictures of the Parton sisters and various family members scattered throughout.

Each recipe lists prep time, cooking time, and additional time if needed (such as chilling dough), offers tips on ingredients, and has a glorious color photo of the finished product. They do give some of their favorite brands for ingredients for that particular recipe, such as Hellmann’s mayonnaise or King Arthur flour, and give a good amount of detail on some of the prep (greens need to be washed four times to get rid of all the grit).

And just in case you didn’t remember which holiday featured corn bread in a cast iron skillet, there’s a handy index.

For someone who doesn’t cook, I seem to pick up a lot of cookbooks.  I certainly don’t do anything but look, but I do enjoy that.  This one has several recipes that I might even be able to do, should I ever be properly motivated.  As promised there are a lot of staples like Dressed Eggs (deviled eggs, but the “dressed” refers to the many types of garnish that can be added, including olives, sweet pickles, or bacon), Country Potato Salad, Oven Roasted Broccoli, Mac and Cheese, and so on. 

If you’re looking for a new recipe for Thanksgiving or just want to see what spin the Partons put on an old favorite, this might just be the book for you.

Nevermore: Serena, Ministry of Time, Tell Me Everything

 

Nevermore 9-24-24

Reported by Rita

Serena: a Novel by Ron Rash

Traveling to the mountains of 1929 North Carolina to forge a timber business with her new husband, Serena Pemberton champions her mastery of harsh natural and working conditions but turns murderous when she learns she cannot bear children.

Beautifully articulated, thought-provoking, and powerful. I loved it.  – KN  5 stars

 

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

To establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also the fabric of space-time, a “bridge” who lives with, assists, and monitors the expat known as“1847” or Commander Graham Gore falls fervently in love with consequences she never could've imagined—ones that could change the future.

Funny at times, this was good escapism.    – MH     4 stars

 

Tell Me Everything: a Novel by Elizabeth Strout

While defending a lonely, isolated man accused of killing his mother, town lawyer Bob Burgess falls into a deep and abiding friendship with acclaimed writer Lucy Barton. Together, they meet the iconic Olive Kitteridge and spend afternoons in Olive's apartment, telling each other stories, which imbue their lives with meaning.

Many characters from other books make appearances. LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!  Two thumbs up!  - CD    5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

By Any Other Name  by Jodi Picoult

 The Moonflowers by Abigail Rose-marie

The Cider House Rules by John Irving

The Maid : a Novel by Nita Prose

Lovely in Her Bones by Sharyn McCrumb

Staggerford by Jon Hassler

A Green Journey by Jon Hassler

Dear James by Jon Hassler

Holy City : a Novel by Henry Wise

You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto

New Books

A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson

Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova

Katharine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood

Suffrage Song : the Haunted History of Gender, Race and Voting Rights in the United States of America by Caitlin Cass

The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Martha Andersson has had a good life, but is having a little trouble adjusting to conditions at Diamond House, a Swedish old age pensioners’ home. The problem is that Nurse Barbara is cutting corners. Profits are down, or at least not as high as the new director desires, and suddenly sticky buns and cake are no longer in the budget. Other amenities are likewise limited, and Martha and her friends are chafing a bit in the sparse accommodations.

Martha hatches a plan with Christina, Anna-Gretta, and the men—nicknamed Brains and Rake. They are going to become art thieves. After all, no one would suspect a group of oldies walking with the aid of Zimmer frames to be the ones kidnapping art from the National Museum. “The League of Pensioners” is born, and they are stomping their orthopedic shoes on their way to riches.

The pensioners hone their skills with a small robbery at a nearby hotel, then move on to the big times. The police have no idea how those paintings (Monet and Renoir!) disappeared or who tried to ransom them. They dismiss the old people as dithering fuss-budgets who are just confused, bless their hearts.

Told with humor, The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules is achingly clever, and funny even to those of us who haven’t reached retirement age yet. This book reminded me of the Elderly Lady series by Helene Tursten. Those short volumes (An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good and An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed) are also set in Sweden and are laugh out loud funny.

This is the first book in the series.

We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, translated by E. Madison Shimoda

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Shuta Kawaga is struggling with his job.  It’s a prestigious company and he should be happy but the long hours, callous treatment of employees, and a horrible boss are weighing him down. He’s having trouble sleeping, he doesn’t want to eat, he’s miserable and yet he can’t bring himself to quit.  What he needs, he thinks, is some counseling to help him cope. That’s how he ends up at the odd little clinic in a narrow alleyway.  It definitely doesn’t fit his view of a highly recommended doctor’s office, but he’s already run through all the local clinics and none have helped.  He’s feeling a little desperate and ready to try something different.

This place turns out to be a little more different than he anticipated.

For one thing, the doctor prescribes him a cat. 

A real cat.

Bewildered, Shuta heads home with his furry medication, only to find out that the instructions for use are not as thorough as he would have liked. . . .

We’ll Prescribe You a Cat is a series of stories about different people who seek help from the “Clinic for the Soul” from a frustrated office worker to a designer at an upscale store.  All are struggling with both their personal and professional lives.  All end up at the mysterious clinic with a rather sullen nurse and off-beat doctor. I’ve read and enjoyed several of these episodic Japanese novels, many of which have similar themes of sorting out what one thinks one wants as opposed to what one really wants.  In some ways, this book does follow that theme, providing attitude adjustments in the best sense of the phrase, but it does something a bit different with an overall story line that is gradually revealed.  I hesitate to say more because I don’t want to spoil it, but I was charmed and a bit teary-eyed at the end.  While Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa remains my favorite, I have to say that this book is a very strong second.  It is an absolute delight.  I am buying my own copy, which is my highest recommendation.

Nevermore: One by One, Dragon from Chicago, The Husbands

 

Nevermore 9-17-24

Reported by Rita

One by One by Freida McFadden

Forced to hike to their hotel after their minivan breaks down, a group of friends finds themselves hopelessly lost in the woods. Soon, they are each struck down mysteriously one by one, making them wonder if an animal is hunting them — or if the hunter is one of them.

It was predictable, and I figured it out pretty quickly. However, it was still enjoyable.    – NH    5 stars

 

The Dragon from Chicago: the Untold Story of an American Reporter in Nazi Germany by Pamela D. Toler

Drawing on extensive archival research, this captivating look at Sigrid Schultz, one of the earliest reporters to warn Americans of the growing dangers of Nazism, shows how she exposed the Nazis for misreporting the news to their own people — a powerful example of how we can reclaim truth in an era of disinformation and “fake news.”

I sometimes found it boring, but it was well-written with lots of details. I liked it.     –KM    5 stars

 

The Husbands: a Novel by Holly Gramazio

When she discovers the attic in her London flat is creating an infinite supply of husbands, waking up to a slightly altered life each day, Lauren confronts the question: if swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you've taken the right path?

A completely frivolous read that I really enjoyed.     – MH    4 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

 The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips

Medicine Is the Best Laughter by John McPherson

Travel As a Political Act by Rick Steves

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

James: a Novel by Percival Everett

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads With an Indian Elder by Kent Nerburn

Serena: a Novel by Ron Rash

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

New Books

Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury by Drew Gilpin Faust

We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance by Kellie Carter Jackson

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

All This & More by Peng Shepherd

Veterans Day 2024

Thank you for your service

 

The Vanishing Type by Ellery Adams

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

When the weather turns cold, my thoughts turn to cozy books.  While Ellery Adams’ Secret, Book, and Scone Society novels are murder mysteries, they’re also about as warm and cozy as they come.  Set in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, the stories revolve around four friends:  Nora, who owns a bookshop; Hester, who is a baker; Estella, the hairdresser; and June, who is a manager at the Miracle Springs Spa.  All these women have suffered tragedy and trials, but they band together to uplift one another and form a chosen family.

In The Vanishing Type, Nora is shocked to find that someone has taken a knife to all the copies of A Scarlet Letter. While it could be a high school student unhappy with having to read Hawthorne, somehow this seems a little more personal—especially since the vandalism targets the name Hester.  Nora keeps this to herself as Hester’s personal life is on the upswing: her longtime beau is ready to pop the question, and Nora and the other Society members are helping him to make the moment perfect.

Then a body turns up, and it appears that a secret from Hester’s past may be about to catch up with her.

The coziness of Adams’ series comes not from the delicious-sounding baked goods, delicious coffees and teas, the love of books—authors and titles are name-dropped regularly—but also from the warmth of the women’s friendship.  I like that all the women have overcome hardships in their lives, so that they face difficult times and situations with courage.  It also makes them empathetic toward others.  Adams does a wonderful job with descriptions.  The food sounds wonderful, but in this book I was enchanted by the descriptions of the artwork in some old novels—I could almost see the book covers.  Actually, I also wanted to read the (non-existent) books.  There is an interesting mix of supporting characters, including some romantic interests for the leading ladies but I also like that Adams doesn’t make every relationship a certainty. 

While this is fifth book in the series, it reads well as a standalone.  If you’re in the market for a comforting, feel-good read with resilient women characters, this would be an excellent choice.

Nevermore: Letters from a Stoic, Natural Selection, Twelve Patients

 

Nevermore 9-10-24

Reported by Rita

Seneca's Letters from a Stoic by Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Along with the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca's Letters from a Stoic is one of the major texts of Roman Stoic philosophy. Themes include the rational order of the universe, how to lead a simple life, the effects and benefits of misfortune, and the necessity of facing mortality.

His letters offered good advice, much of which is still relevant today.      –MP     4 stars

 

Natural Selection by Elin Hilderbrand

When her boyfriend bails at the last minute, a New York woman embarks on their couples’ cruise alone to find that maybe the person she was supposed to fall in love with was herself. Note:  Short story e-book, Amazon original.

A light read. I thought it had a very satisfying ending.     –CD      5 stars

  

Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital by Eric Manheimer

The medical director of Bellevue Hospital in New York uses the lives and conditions of 12 different patients, from a Riker's Island prisoner to a suicidal private school student, to take a snapshot of modern society.

While it was sometimes heavy with medical details, the stories were beautiful and very informative. I really enjoyed it.     –NH     5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

The Locked Door by Freida Mcfadden

The Teacher by Freida McFadden

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby

The King of Children: The Life and Death of Janusz Korczak by Betty Jean Lifton

King Matt the First by Janusz Korczak

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

New Books

Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We'll Win the Climate War by Tom Steyer

Deep Water: The World in the Ocean by James Bradley

Deep Space: Beyond the Solar System to the Edge of the Universe and the Beginning of Time by Govert Schilling

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Strange Folk by Alli Dyer

A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Sally Holt was thirteen-years-old when she lost one of the most important people in her life, her big sister Kathy. Although the title implies that Kathy might be a missing person, the disappearance is permanent. A moment’s distraction, a swerve of the car, and Kathy is gone.

Sally narrates the story as if she was telling Kathy what has happened since her death. Sally tells Kathy what people at school said, good and bad, and in particular, what Billy does. Kathy’s boyfriend Billy was driving the car.

The story jumps in time, as Sally is now fifteen years older, reaching adulthood as Kathy never did. Sally is awkward at both ages, showing an inflexibility that probably only intensified with the trauma of such a loss. Yet Sally is also a likeable character, and the author develops the story in such a way that I found Sally’s actions and reactions to be understandable.

Their parents’ grief at losing a child is heartbreaking. In trying to hold on to Kathy, the mother even turns to a psychic in the hopes of finding some affirmation that her child is okay. The father is angry, and unforgiving. Young Sally feels alone, until she starts talking to Billy online. Their anguish and guilt bring them together, as they talk (and Sally makes notes to Kathy) over the years.

With moments of humor amid the characters’ pain, Alison Espach has created a thought provoking and insightful coming of age novel.

The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Olivia Green is a married mother of two who works three jobs as a cleaner. Her husband Jake works at his family’s struggling printing business and with both sons about to be in college, money is very tight.  That’s why Liv puts up with the influencer parents who expect her not only to clean but to look after their children and the office workers who think nothing of throwing trash on the just cleaned floor. The third cleaning job is for Essie Starling, the reclusive author of the Georgia Rory series, which should have been a dream job.  Liv loves Georgia Rory; the plucky, adventurous heroine has inspired Liv for years and seen her through many difficult times in her life. 

Essie, however, is not the easiest person to work for.  She’s not an ogre, but she IS very exacting and she pretty much ignores Liv—except for the occasional note.

So when Essie dies unexpectedly, the last thing Liv expects is that Essie wants her to finish her book—the final Georgia Rory story.  Can Liv give Georgia the happy ending her fans expect? And why would Essie choose her to write this book?

I had read other titles by Phaedra Patrick and enjoyed them, so I had an idea of her writing style.  She tends to write about women who are unappreciated or who don’t have an idea of their own worth, but then they take a voyage of self-discovery.  Actually, they sound a lot like Essie’s Georgia Rory, but that’s probably the point.  Liv’s husband keeps her in the dark about problems with the family business, her sons still expect her to pick up after them and solve their problems, and Liv herself has given up on her childhood dream of being a writer.

To write the book, and to find out why Essie chose her, Liv is going to have to step out of her comfort zone.  What she learns is both freeing and painful, and she is going to have to decide who she is going to be.

I enjoyed the book. I was ready for an uplifting tale and Patrick delivers.  Liv is a reader, so I loved hearing what she was reading (I was thrilled when she read Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen) but also I liked the way that Essie became more and more of a real character after her death.  I also liked the English setting and the supporting cast (though I did get very annoyed at Liv’s sons and the influencer parents) and I liked the discussions about books—structure, character arcs, etc.—that informed Liv’s struggles as an author but never bogged the book down. And I especially loved that this book is about book people, not just authors and editors, publishers and promoters, but about readers.

This is a cozy read for a chilly season!