New in September!

 

New books in September!

 

It’s September, so it must be time for the Christmas books to start coming out.  Two of the most notable are: 

Andrews, Mary Kay  Bright Lights, Big Christmas

Michaels, Fern  Santa and Company

 

Halloween is also coming up soon:

King, Stephen  Holly

Armstrong, Kelley  Hemlock Island

O’Reilly, Bill Killing the Witches  (nonfiction, about the Salem Witch Trials)

Of course, James Patterson will have a couple of books out: 

Patterson, James  23 ½ Lies (Women’s Murder Club)

Patterson, James Twelve Months to Live

 

Mysteries and thrillers are still plentiful!

 

Archer, Jeffery  Traitor’s Gate

Bentley, Don Tom Clancy Weapons Grade (Jack Ryan, Jr.)

Brown, Graham  Clive Cussler Condor’s Fury

Cleeves, Ann The Raging Storm (Matthew Venn)

Connolly, John The Land of Lost Things

Francis, Felix  No Reserve

Galbraith, Robert The Running Grave

Goldberg, Lee  Malibu Burning

Herron, Mick The Secret Hours

Jance, J.A. Blessing of the Lost Girls (Walker/Brady)

Johnson, Craig  The Longmire Defense

Jonasson, Ragnar Reykjavik: A Crime Story

Krueger, William Kent  The River We Remember

Mills, Kyle  Code Red (Mitch Rapp)

Perry, Anne The Traitor Among Us (Elena Standish)

Robb, J.D. Payback in Death

 

General fiction stars:

Atkinson, Kate Normal Rules Don’t Apply:  Stories

Follett, Ken  The Armor of Light (Kingsbridge #4)

Rash, Ron  The Caretaker

Jiles, Paulette  Chenneville

Smith, Zadie  The Fraud

 

Romance and Amish titles:

 

Score, Lucy Things We Left Behind

Hunter, Denise  Wildflower Falls

Lewis, Beverly  Heirloom

Woodsmall, Cindy  Until Then

 

And then there’s the one I’m most looking forward to:

 

Scalzi, John  Starter Villain

The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith

Reviewed by Jeanne

People tend to be divided about “the Christmas letter” often included in a card this time of the year.  Some see such letters as a chance for others to brag about their kids, their house, their vacations, etc., but I’m glad to get one.  There are a number of folks I only hear from once a year and it’s nice to know what is going on with their lives.   It also saves me from making embarrassing comments a la Ralph Emery.  (Emery was notorious for not prepping before an interview, which led him to ask a singer how a bandmate was doing.  There was a pause, and the singer replied, “He’s still dead, Ralph.”)

So I do appreciate getting news of those I don’t see often—or at all—so that at least I have some idea of what’s going on in their lives.

Lee Smith took this idea and ran with it in her novella, The Christmas Letters:   the story is told through letters written over decades, detailing family events.  The book starts with the 1944 letter, in which homesick young bride and new mother Birdie writes to her family in back in West Virginia.  She’s living with her husband’s family while he’s in service, serving the Pacific.  There are a lot of adjustments to be made and even more when her husband comes home from the war. The letters follow the expanding family until 1967 when daughter Mary—herself a new mother-- begins writing letters of her own. 

While the story is presented through the prism of a cheery holiday missive, Lee wisely allows doubts and sorrows to seep through.  The writer(s) have a bit of perspective:  there’s been time for situations and events to be evaluated, and yet often the emotions remain vivid. The personalities of the writers come through as well, and while they share common traits, they are individuals.  I particularly enjoyed seeing Birdie through her daughter’s eyes, just as I had watched Mary grow through her mother’s descriptions.

This is a sweet, but not saccharine little book with a surprising amount of depth to it.  Sure, there are recipes included in most letters, the kids are all above average, but there’s a dose of introspection at times.   I don’t want to say more, because this is a book to discover on your own.  At a mere 126 pages, it doesn’t take long to read but it’s memorable. Like Birdie, I’ll remember that catfish for some time.

Smith is a wonderful storyteller, and she uses the letters not only to illustrate the family but the changing world in which they live.  The cover conveys the idea beautifully as well, with a wreath constructed of photos, letters, recipes, addresses, all tied together with a ribbon. 

If you have an extra hour or two this year, treat yourself to The Christmas Letters.

Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2019

Reviewed by Kristin

I love nothing more than reading a book that appears to be ahead of its time, and I found that joy in reading the Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2019.  It’s almost Christmastime and no matter which holidays you celebrate, food is a common denominator in get-togethers with family and friends.  Taste of Home cookbooks have an excellent selection of everything from soup to nuts, and even throw in bone-shaped dog biscuits for your best furry friend.

Now if I had to plan a meal exclusively from this cookbook….

We’ll start with the Roasted Red Pepper Triangles.  Layering refrigerated crescent roll dough, cooked ham and pepperoni, cheeses, sweet red peppers and a Parmesan cheese-Italian seasoning-egg mixture, this triangle cut appetizer is sure to taste heavenly.  Next, the inspirational page labeled “Say Cream Cheese” will provide a variety of options for dips and spreads whether our guests prefer savory or sweet.  Throw in some cut veggies and crackers (homemade or not) and I think our munchies will be satisfied until the next course is rolled out.

How about the Skinny Cobb Salad to provide some tasty greenery for our salad course?  The Greek yogurt, feta cheese, chicken breast, apple, onions, bacon, garbanzo beans and avocado sound like delightful toppings for the lettuce and crunchy coleslaw mix.

The Chicken with Peach-Cucumber Salsa stirs my taste buds as I imagine the fresh spices and crisp cucumbers topping the perfectly grilled chicken breasts.  Or should I go with the Spaghetti Squash Skillet?  (Perhaps leaving out the chorizo mentioned in the recipe, if we are looking for a vegetarian main course tonight.)  The taco seasoning, tomatoes, sweet peppers and onions make this sound like a very tasty treat.

Ooh, the Zucchini-Crusted Pizza is another option, and with only 20 minutes to prep, I might just have to go with that.  Combining shredded zucchini, mozzarella and Parmesan sounds like a yummy crust, with red peppers and more mozzarella crowning the top.

A whole section on breads and rolls?  Breakfast and brunch too?  And I’m only halfway through the cookbook?  Uh-oh.  Jalepeno Cornbread filled with Blueberry Quick Jam, here I come.

I’d better skip to the desserts.  The Chocolate Cheesecake Bars would appeal to most everyone in my family and would only take 15 minutes to mix up and get into the pan.  Although the Rustic Caramel Apple Tart would be both beautiful and delicious.  Hmm, maybe I could combine the cheesecake and the apples.  Maybe we need two or three desserts if I’m inviting a crowd.  The more the merrier!

Who am I kidding?  I am unlikely to coordinate my time, ingredients, and baking dishes well enough to put together this multi-course meal and serve it all before midnight.  But maybe, just maybe, I can choose a recipe or two to serve to my family or take to a holiday carry-in dinner.  (Check out the “Potluck Pleasers” which is called a unique chapter.)  After all, it’s not all about the food and gifts, but about the togetherness that this holiday season brings.