Death Notice by Todd Ritter

In Death Notice, George Winnick is found dead on the side of the highway. He's in a coffin and it looks like someone tried to embalm him. If that's not bizarre enough, Henry Goll, the obituary writer for the Perry Hollow Gazette, received a death notice for Winnick before he died. The town's police chief, Kat Campbell, has never handled a murder case simply because there hasn't been one. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Investigation is called in to take over the case. They have been looking for the "Betsy Ross Killer" and suspect that Winnick is another victim. It just keeps getting worse when the death notices keep on coming and the body count climbs. Campbell just can't sit by and watch. She's determined to restore order to her town and stop the killer, if she can.

This debut mystery by Todd Ritter is awesome! It's so well written that I had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it. It was definitely compelling enough to read in one sitting. Through Ritter's story, I got a sense of the small town and the people who live there. I grew up in the city, but this is pretty much what I imagined a small town would be like. Even though the story was a bit strange, it seemed real enough...and scary. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing.

The story does get pretty gory at times. While I usually don't flinch when it comes to stuff like that, I think the gore combined with the intensity made me a little scared to turn the page a few times. I feared what was going to happen next. A few times I could feel my heart beating in my chest as the team realized what was going to happen when another death noticed arrived.

Kat Campbell, Nick Donnelly and Henry Goll, the three main characters, were all excellent. Each brought something different and intriguing to the story. I really liked reading about them. As for the killer, I suspected a few different characters as the story went along, but, of course, I was wrong. Ritter kept me guessing until the very end.

Highly recommended. Todd Ritter is now one of my favourite mystery/thriller writers. I'd love to read another book by him.

For more information about this book, please visit Macmillan's website.

For more information about the author, please visit Todd Ritter's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Death Notice by Todd Ritter, Minotaur Books, ©2010. ISBN 9780312622800(Hardcover), 326p.

The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro

In The Debutante, Cate is sent by her aunt Rachel to Endsleigh, a crumbling old mansion in England. She is to work with Jack cataloguing and evaluating the contents. She doesn't know much about this work, but she needs a break from her life. Once in the mansion, she discovers an old shoe box hidden at the back of a bookshelf. It contains a pair of silk dancing shoes along with other miscellaneous items. She's soon caught up in the mystery of Baby Blythe, the most famous debutante of her time.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. However, I had some trouble getting into it. It didn't really grab me until about 50 pages in. Before that I started the book three times, putting it down the first two times to read something else. In the end, though, it was quite a good read. I liked all of the mysteries that the book contained: Cate's past, Jack's past and, of course, the shoe box mystery of Baby Blythe.

The story offers a really good mix of past and present. The past dealt with Diana "Baby" Blythe and her sister, Irene "Wren", while the present day story featured Cate and Jack. I really liked how past events were brought into the story through a series of letters from Baby to Wren, which were interspersed with the present day narrative. I enjoyed the letters and really got a sense of society life as well as Baby's life from them. I did have a small problem with them, though. They appeared to be placed randomly without introduction or connection to the what was going on in the present day story. Therefore, it was a little jarring at times to be taken from one time period to another.

The characters were all very likeable. I loved how they interacted with each other and once I got into the book I couldn't wait to see what would happen to them.

I really liked the cover of this book. It's pink, frilly and sophisticated. It is a bit deceiving, though. I thought the story was going to be light-hearted and be from the chick-lit genre. However, the story was substantial, dark and mysterious.

Endsleigh House, the old mansion, was very intriguing. I think it would be fun to visit an old forgotten mansion that held so many secrets.

Recommended. Even though I had a few problems with this book, I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro, Avon (HarperCollins), ©2010. ISBN 9780061125782(Uncorrected proof), 386p.

The Children of Witches by Sherri Smith

In The Children of Witches, it's seventeenth century Germany. Anna is married to a drunk, but has two children, both of whom she adores. Konrad is the hard-working one while Manfred is the one with the beautiful singing voice. There's something else about Manfred that Anna wants to keep secret. He's different. He doesn't make eye contact or communicate, he barely talks and spends his days collecting stuff. When the Church learns of him, they take him away and use him for their own purposes. Because of his singing voice, they think he's some kind of talisman against witchcraft, which supposedly is running rampant in the community. Things get out of control when accusations abound and innocent people are put to death. Anna must find a way to put an end to the madness and reclaim her son.

I absolutely adored this book. It sat on my shelf for awhile because I wasn't sure I was going to like it. First of all, the cover didn't jump out at me. Secondly, based on the back cover, I was worried that the mother/son angle was going to be dominate the story and I thought it might get a little sappy. However, that's so not the case. I'm still not fond of the cover, but the story was so much more than a woman's fight for her son. It's also about life in Germany in 1664, witch hunts (literally), mob mentality, abuse of power, sexuality, false accusations and more. The writing was easy to read and the subject matter was enlightening. I'm so glad I finally picked it up and read it. It was fantastic.

Nowadays, Manfred would probably be diagnosed with a type of autism. However, back then, it probably could have gone either way. Either he was labelled a witch and dealt with or idolized for his special talent. At first, I was worried that it was going to be the former, but in a way it turned out to be much worse. It must have been so hard for Anna, trying to keep Manfred's secret. Highlighting his talent so that people wouldn't notice his condition backfired on her and caused her to lose her son. It was a bad situation for everyone.

There are a couple of sexual scenes which might offend sensitive readers. The scenes are in no way gratuitous. They help portray the atmosphere of the times and fit in well with the story. However, the scenes are quite descriptive and might cause concern for some readers.

New words:
gulden (page 56): old coin
libidinous (page 64): expressing sexual desire
enfeebled (page 103): weakened
thurible (page 112): container for burning incense
puerile (page 121): immature
somnolent (page 167): sleepy
aspergillum (page 300): holy-water sprinkler

This book would make an great book club book. There are plenty of hot topics to discuss, which should provide for a lively discussion.

I was very excited to learn that Smith is from my hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Highly recommended. I'd love to read Smith's first book, The Virgin's Tale and any other book she writes.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Children of Witches by Sherri Smith, Simon & Schuster, ©2010. ISBN 9781847371874(Trade Paperback), 316p.

Look Now by DK Publishing

Look Now: The World in Facts, Stats, and Graphics, takes a look at the world using various graphics and statistics. The book is divided into five sections: Earth, People, Power, Industry, Connections. In addition, there's a reference section at the back of the book listing various stats about the countries in the world.

I loved this book. Really loved it! However, I'm having a hard time writing this review. I swear there's some weird time manipulator imbedded in the book. Every time I open it I get sucked in and 20 minutes go by in a flash. There's so much information in this book, I find something new to look at or read about each time I open it.

The graphics and materials are truly outstanding. The information is bright, colourful and written in easy to understand language. It's presented in such a fun, unique way, it makes you forget you are learning something new. I'm a visual learner so all of the photographs, charts and what not really make the material more interesting for me. The book is a bit hard to describe as it contains a little bit about everything in the world. If you can quantify it or represent it pictorially, it's probably in this book.

My favourite parts were the "The World in One Day" pages, which detail what happens in one day around the world. For example:
Earth (page 46): A single tree releases enough oxygen to support two people.
People (page 100): 77 million elementary-school children don't have a place to go to school.
Power (page 146): Giant stone disks are still recognized as legal currency in Yap, Micronesia.
Industry (page 192): 298,944 bicycles are produced.
Connections (page 224): 2753 books are published every day.

Some other fascinating facts:
At 33.8 million people, Tokyo's population is bigger than Canada's entire population. (page 53)
The literacy rate in Afghanistan is 28%. (page 233)
In every catch of prawns, up to 10 times their weight in other species is also caught in the net and then discarded, often already dead. (page 174)
A total of 52 computers control all the systems on board the International Space Station. (page 220)
An estimated 2500 earthquakes happen every day! (page 19)

The round images on the cover are very cool. The pictures change as you tilt the book. I don't know what this is called, but I'm sure it has a name. I like it!

The table of contents is nicely laid out with an easy to read font and clear concise sections. The index is adequate and should aid in finding items in the book. In addition to these two items, the book also sports a "Data Sources" section, which lists the sources from which the information was taken. It contains many websites so the keen reader can investigate further.

Highly recommended. The website lists the book for 10-17 year-olds. However, there's plenty of information for adults, like me, to enjoy. I think it would be perfect for the statistics or graphics lover.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit DK Canada's website.

I'd like to thank Chris at DK Canada for this review copy.

Look Now: The World in Fact, Stats, and Graphics by DK Publishing, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2010. ISBN 9780756662868(Hardcover), 256p.

Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy

In Buffalo West Wing, Olivia Paras (Ollie) is the White House chef and oversees all food preparations that take place there. A new President has just been elected and the first family is moving into their new residence while getting used to the place and procedures. All of a sudden, a box of take-out chicken wings mysteriously appears in the kitchen for the children. However, since no one knows how they got there, Ollie wisely sets them aside until she can determine their origins and if they are safe for the children to eat. Before she has a chance to do so, though, several staff members are rushed to the hospital after consuming the wings. The first family isn't told the whole story. All they know is that Ollie denied the children their treat and this doesn't exactly make her endearing. If that's not bad enough, the first family brings in another chef to cook their personal meals. Ollie fears her job is at stake, yet she tries her best be accommodating.

This is the fourth book in the "White House Chef Mystery" series. However, it is the first one I read. I absolutely loved it! It's one of the best cozy mysteries I've read in awhile. Each time I picked it up to continue reading, I felt an instant connection with the story. I loved the details about inner workings of the White House food preparations as well as the food itself. It made me hungry; all of it sounded delicious. I was also delighted by the details about the secret service. I don't know if I'd like them hanging around all the time.

I just loved Ollie. She was a strong, confident, caring woman with an important job, which she took seriously. She didn't let anyone push her around and remained polite and dignified even when facing frustrating circumstances. I guess that's imperative with a job like hers. I've read a few cozy mysteries where the female amateur detective came across as flighty, snivelling and self-centred, which I didn't like at all. I'm so glad Ollie was different from that. The supporting cast, was wonderful, especially Bucky, Cyan and Gav. Virgil, the arrogant new chef, was also a great character. Hyzy made him so easy to dislike.

I loved the yummy recipes that the author included with this mystery. I haven't made any of them yet, but I hope to try one the following soon:
Tzatziki (p. 287)
Creamed Spinach with Olive Oil and Shallots(p. 304)
Mixed Berry Cobbler (p. 305)

I've also read Grace Under Pressure by Hyzy. It was great.

Highly recommended. I have one other book from this series (State of the Onion) on my to-be-read shelf and I can't wait to read it.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Julie Hyzy's website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy, The Berkley Publishing Group (Penguin), ©2011. ISBN 9780425239230(Mass Market), 305p (includes recipes).

Daisy's Best of 2010

It's fun reading all of the "best of" lists each year, so once again I've decided to create my own. I was really hoping to jazz it up a bit this year, but since I've had a cold since Christmas I've decided to keep it simple. Note that these are books I read this year and not necessarily published this year.

In no particular order, here's Daisy's Best of 2010:

Historical Fiction
The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan (This book is one of my all-time favourites.)
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Juliet by Anne Fortier
The Sea Captain's Wife by Beth Powning
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
The Temptation of the Night Jasmine: A Novel by Lauren Willig

Fiction
Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos
So Much For That by Lionel Shriver
Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger
Suddenly by Bonnie Burnard
Cool Water by Dianne Warren
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley

Mysteries/Thrillers
Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay
Think of a Numb3r by John Verdon

Non-fiction
Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training by Tom Jokinen
The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients by DK Publishing
The Practical Naturalist by Chris Packham

In addtion, there were a few great books that just missed the above list, but deserve to be mentioned.
The Book of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark
Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith
The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale
Do Not Open by John Farndon

That's it. I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for me as far as reading goes. If it's anything like 2010, it should be exciting and wonderful.

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

In My Name is Mary Sutter, it's the dawn of the American Civil War and Mary Sutter is a midwife, just like her mother, Amelia. However, Mary really wants to become a surgeon. There are many prejudices against women, though, and she is turned away by everyone she approaches about it. After her heart is broken by a young man, she runs off to Washington D.C. and offers her services in the war effort. She's met with more resistance, but eventually is able to pursue her medical career.

This is such a wonderful book. It really is a fascinating look at certain aspects of the American Civil War. Rather than take us to the front lines of the war, the book shows us the back rooms, where decisions are made, and the make shift hospitals and morgues, where the doctors and nurses help the injured and comfort the dying. The story gets a little gory at times, but that just enhances the story and highlights the horror of war, the deplorable conditions and the archaic medical procedures of the time.

I loved that the book featured some real life characters who played a part in the American Civil War. These include: Abraham Lincoln, Dorothea Dix, John Hay and General McClellan. Unfortunately, I know almost nothing about the American Civil War and Lincoln was the name that was familiar to me. I should have studied up a little so that I'd know who some of the players were and knew a little more about the war itself. No doubt that would have enhanced my reading experience. I enjoyed the book nevertheless.

Mary Sutter was such a great character. Her determination to be a surgeon was commendable. Even when she was turned away time after time, she persevered and didn't let it deter her. The decisions she had to make were gut wrenching and I didn't once envy her position. I also loved the scenes depicting Lincoln at work. According to the author, she "stayed true to the public record" of his activities. I found it all very interesting.

The "Acknowledgements" section at the beginning of the book is well worth the read. Besides thanking others, Oliveira writes a little about her research methods, which I always find fascinating. I admit that I sometimes skip these sections, but I'm glad I took the time to read this one.

This book contained quite a few new-to-me words. Here's the list:
monaural (page 1): hearing with just one ear
comported (page 15): to behave or be consistent
munificence (page 30): very generous
groggery (page 52): saloon
freshet (page 69): sudden flood
quixotic (page 147): idealistic
peripatetic (page 162): drifting
haversack (page 164): bag, backpack
suppuration (page 170): ooze pus
abstemiousness (page 181): sobriety
abattoirs (page 236): slaughterhouse
ameliorated (page 270): improved
temerity (page 286): nerve, boldness
perspicacious (page 319): insightful

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author, please visit Robin Oliveira's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Penguin for this review copy.

My Name is Mary Sutter: A Novel by Robin Oliveira, Viking (Penguin), ©2010. ISBN 9780670021673(Hardcover), 364p.

Needlework Tuesday

I really enjoy reading about Heather's needlework projects on her blog Books and Quilts. Those projects are featured on her posts titled "Needlework Tuesday". Since I do a little crafting myself, I figured I'd try something new and join her. I procrastinate more than I craft these days so I won't be posting every week. Also, my crafting doesn't always include needles, so despite the name of the post, I'll be posting about some of my other crafts (if I ever get around to doing some of those again).

Last year, I started an afghan after reading about it on Heather's blog. The people at Bernat put together a Mystery Afghan Knit-Along. The link will take you to the introductory post if you are interested. I got a late start with this, then I changed my mind about which yarn to use. Needless to say, I didn't keep up with the knit-along. However, I'm back at it now and am determined to finish it. I only have the border to do so it looks promising. After reading on the blog that some of the knitters were doing a moss/seed border instead of the suggested garter stitch, I decided I'd do that too. I love the moss stitch! The yarn is Bernat Satin in silk, banana, camel. Here are a few teaser photos:

Very small section (including the border).












Three of the 8 blocks (in Banana, Silk, Camel).











































I'll include a full photo of the afghan once I'm finished.

The other knitting project I started recently was a Stocking Stitch Shrug. I got the pattern from the Lion Brand website. (Unfortunately, I think you have to join the website to see the picture and pattern).

If I would have thought about it more, I may not have started it. However, I've done about 10 inches (out of 40ish), so I'm not about to rip it out. It's mostly unstructured and is more like a sweater/cardigan that doesn't close in the front. The back is also kind of strange and is supposed to be very roomy and drapey (not a word). Anyway, I found some "factory mill ends" at Walmart that I sort of liked and decided to use that instead of the Lion Brand yarn. I got carried away and bought 3lbs of it. More than enough to make several small projects. I'll probably use quite a bit of it on this project.

Here's my gauge swatch:
















The pattern says "one size fits all", which we know isn't true. That one size usually fits those model types and not us eXtra Lovely (XL) ladies. I hope I adjusted the pattern enough to fit me. If it doesn't, I have a plan B.

Anyway, that's it for this week.

Ideas That Changed the World by DK Publishing

Ideas That Changed the World presents "incredible inventions and the stories behind them". From medicines and machines that keep us alive to inventions that make life more enjoyable, the ideas in the book affect our everyday lives. The book also includes the inventor's name and other tidbits about each item.

This is a very cool book. It's filled with fascinating facts about the items we use every day. The presentation of the ideas is very well done. Each is featured on a two-page spread with large well-labelled photographs and interesting explanations. Occasionally, additional pages are used for further explanation as in the case of the "Ford Model T" (page 148-149), which has two more pages with information on Ford's model factory.

I loved all of the sidebars that offer additional information about the ideas. They include: "Tomorrow's World", which explains where the idea is headed; "Cool Science", which explains more about the science involved; and "Bright Sparks", which features a historical fact on the item. I also loved the "See Also" pointers at the bottom of most of the pages. For example, on page 46 you can read all about "Lasers" and then skip to page 128 to read about the related "Bar Codes".

All of the ideas in the book are interesting, but a few stood out for me as favourites. I really enjoyed reading about: elevators (pages 60-61), glasses (pages 114-115), zipper (pages 138-139), submarine (pages 154-155), Hubble (pages 182-185), space helmet (pages 198-198). Of course, the best one is the printing press (pages 84-85) for without this idea, this book would not be possible. There was one item that was new to me. In 1934, Percy Shaw invented "Cat's Eyes". I don't think I've even seen these in this form. They are the reflective devices on road ways to make them more visible at night. Interesting.

The ideas are sorted into groups. I'm not that fond of these. While some of them make sense (wheel, jet plane, Metro etc. in "On the Move"), some of them do not (stamp and money in "Handy Gadgets") What's the difference between a gizmo (as in "Great Gizmos") and gadget (as in "Handy Gadgets) anyway? I would have rather just had the ideas presented chronologically. I think it would be neat to see which ideas came about around the same time. It would also make it easy to see the progression of the ideas.

Speaking of progression of ideas, there's a timeline at the back of the book, which lists the ideas chronologically. It's very cool. One small improvement would be to add the invention name next to the date (or in the same bold font at the date) to make it stand out more.

The table of contents is very nice. It lists the groups and ideas in a large easy-to-read font. The glossary is also well presented. It offers compact definitions for a variety of terms from acoustic to x-ray. The index was a little disappointing. At the minimum the ideas and their inventors should appear in the index. Sadly, this is not so. I found at least a few of them missing.

Recommended. The DK website lists the book for ages 10-17. I'd say that about right. Some adults might also enjoy it (as I did), but may find the information a little sparse.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the DK Canada website.

I'd like to thank Chris at DK Canada for this review copy.

Ideas That Changed the World by DK Publishing, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2010. ISBN 9780756665319(Hardcover), 256p.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

In The Distant Hours, a letter arrives for Meredith, Edie's mother, 50 years after it was sent. She is visibly upset and refuses to talk about it. It is at that time, that Edie learns that her mother was shipped off during WWII (as other children were) to live in Milderhurst Caste with the Blythe sisters. Meredith refuses to talk about it, so Edie embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about her mother's evacuation. Along the way, she discovers other secrets that have been well hidden over the years by the sisters.

This was such a great book. At 562 pages, it was a bit long for me, but I knew I wouldn't have any trouble getting through it because I love Morton's work. I admit I was a little impatient with a few of the storylines in this book. I kept asking myself, what does this have to do with the mystery? How does this tie in? Then the author does what I didn't think was possible; she ties it all together. All of it! All of the odds and ends that I thought had nothing to do with the mystery were tucked in nicely at the end. Brilliantly, in fact. This is a terrific story from a wonderful author who undoubtedly has a fantastic imagination.

I loved all of the characters, but especially the three Blythe sisters: Percy, Saffy, and Juniper. Each of them had their idiosyncrasies that made them interesting. Of the three, Juniper stood out as my favourite. She was such an odd character, I wanted to find the real story behind her madness. Besides them, I really wanted to learn more about Meredith's experiences as a evacuated child in WWII.

There was one odd thing about the book. The story is broken up into several parts. Each part is further broken down into many chapters. The chapters are grouped together by present (1992) and past (1940s). Here's where is gets a little weird. The chapters in the present are named as in "A Lost Letter Finds Its Way", "A Memory Clarifies" and so on. However, the chapters in the past are numbered, as in One, Two, Three, etc. I'm not sure why this was done. Also, because the chapters were mostly grouped into past and present, the flow felt a little too regimented and not very natural. That could have been just my perception. The naming really did throw me off.

My favourite quote:

There's none like a sister for remembering one's ancient sins. (page 72)

The book contained a few new-to-me words:
trireme (page 126): ancient galley
placatory (page 150): soothing
ingénue (page 178): unsophisticated girl or young woman
déshabillé (page 211): casual or careless manner
sycophancy (page 244): flattery

I also have read Morton's The Forgotten Garden(my review). It's really wonderful. I also have The House at Riverton on my to-be-read bookshelf and can't wait to read it.

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book, please visit the Simon & Schuster website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Kate Morton's website.

I'd like to thank Christine at Edwards Magazine Bookclub and those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, Atria Books (Simon & Schuster), ©2010. ISBN 9781439152782(Hardcover), 562p.

Promises to Keep by Jane Green

In Promises to Keep, Callie, a successful photographer, wife and mother, is not at all like her sister, Steffi, who can't seem to keep a job or a boyfriend for more than six months. Their parents, Walter and Honor have been feuding since their divorce many years ago. They would love it if Steffi learned some responsibility, but no one is counting on that. When tragedy strikes, this family along with friends and acquaintances band together to care for the children, make the arrangements and keep the promises that they made to each other.

It's not often that I find a chick-lit book that I love, but I loved this one. The story was good, although it did get a little sappy a few times. Thankfully those times are few and far between. It was the characters that got me. Sometimes with books that many characters I find that I love a few and hate a few. Not so with this one. I loved them all. I wanted to know more and more about each of the characters as they appeared in the book. It was so easy to like them and to really care about them. Besides those mentioned above, there was also Lila (Callie's best friend) and Ed, who I thought were charming together as well as Mason and Olivia, who were anything but. There was also Callie's family: Reece, her husband and her children Eliza and Jack.

The author included some recipes that fit nicely with the story. She had the characters either making or eating the dish during the course of the chapter. Most of the time, it was just casually mentioned and didn't take the focus away from the main story. I certainly loved the recipes because I love finding new ones in unexpected places like novels. I've even read a few cozy mystery series because they contained recipes. Nevertheless, in this case I'm not sure they added much to the story. So that brings me to the question: Why include the recipes at all? Steffi was doing a lot of cooking in her job as a chef, so the recipes are a natural fit with that aspect of the story. However, there are certainly plenty of books out there in which the characters eat or talk about food and recipes are not included. I'm not complaining mind you, but I am wondering.

I admit that I had to put the book aside for a bit about 20 before the end. I knew sort of what was going to happen and I wasn't prepared to read it just then. I needed to put some distance between myself and the characters. Also, I didn't want to end that quickly. I picked it up again a few days later and was totally satisfied with the ending.

Highly recommended. I'd gladly read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Jane Green's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Penguin for this review copy.

Promises to Keep by Jane Green, Viking (Penguin), ©2010. ISBN 9780670069149(Uncorrected Proof), 337p.

The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients by DK Publishing

The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients features information on over 2500 ingredients from meat and fish to vegetables and flavourings. It offers advice on how to buy, store, prepare and cook each of them for optimum results. The book also includes 200 classic recipes.

I really love this book. The variety of ingredients is outstanding. I love seeing the familiar and unfamiliar ingredients and love learning about their uses. I cook a lot, but I still found there were whole pages where all of the items were unfamiliar, such as the fish and sausages section; two ingredients that I have limited experience with. I even learned some new things about ingredients I use all of the time. For instance, did you know that you can eat rutabaga raw? I didn't.

The photographs in this book are large, stunning, plentiful, well labelled and annotated. This not only allows the reader to really get a good look at the ingredient, but it also gives them vital information about it. I found this particularly important. It will really come in handy if I have to hunt down a new ingredient at the grocery or speciality store.

I haven't made any of the recipes yet. I've been too busy learning about the new ingredients I've encountered. When I do make one, I'll likely start with one of the following: borscht (p. 215), baba ganoush (p. 261), riata (p. 239) or moussaka (p. 118).

The table of contents is a bit sparse and only lists the major section headings. The extensive index, though, more than makes up for it. I love that the recipe names are in italics. This makes them very easy to find. I also love that you can look up the recipes from the main ingredient or by the name of the recipe itself.

Highly Recommended. The next time I come across an unfamiliar ingredient (or a reference to it), this will be the first book I consult.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the DK Publishers website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at DK Canada for this review copy.

The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients by DK Publishing, Dorling Kindersley (DK Publishers), ©2010. ISBN 9780756667306(format), 544p.

What's Up Down There? by Lissa Rankin, M.D.

In What's Up Down There?, Lissa Rankin, M.D. answers "Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend". She uses her personal experiences and stories about her patients to answer those questions you've secretly been wondering about.

I loved this book. Rankin has a great sense of humour and is very personable. Reading this book really did feel like I was talking to my BFF. She answers the questions as a friend would and only puts on her M.D. hat when it's necessary. In answering the questions, Rankin relates stories from her personal life and the lives of her patients. Don't worry, she has changed the names to protect everyone. While her personal stories are perhaps a bit too-much-information at times, it's really what makes this book great. Also, she doesn't appear to shy away from any question. The questions are diverse and plentiful. A few of them made me blush.

The range of topics covered is varied. She answers questions on: being a gynecologist, how coochies look, smell and taste; sex, masturbation and orgasm; discharge and itching; periods; fertility, pregnancy and childbirth; menopause; and others. She even covers other female parts like: Boobs, Pee and Butts.

Some of the stories are absolutely heartbreaking; some are hilarious; most of them lie somewhere in-between. One thing they have in common is that they are educational. For me, the saddest (and strangest) stories were the ones that involved misinformation (the girl who used a potato as birth control), abuse (the woman who used her vagina as a purse) and mental illness (the woman who accused Rankin of stealing her genitals). Some of questions dealt with stuff I've been wondering about myself, while others dealt with things quite new to me. I won't get into specifics because that would really be TMI.

I even learned some new words for my girly parts: yoni and coochie. Rankin uses the proper names in some places, but these euphemisms make the book less clinical and more fun. One fun addition to the book might be a list of all of the euphemisms we use to describe our most intimate parts.

Highly recommended. I think it's a must read for every woman. Some men might also benefit from parts of it.

For more information about this book, please visit the St. Martin's Press website.

For more information about the author and her work, please visit the Owning Pink website.

Thanks to Dana Kaye from Kaye Publicity for this review copy.

What's Up Down There? by Lissa Rankin, M.D., St. Martin's Press, ©2010. ISBN 9780312644369(Trade Paperback), 381p.

A Greener Christmas by Sheherazade Goldsmith

A Greener Christmas offers ideas and solutions for celebrating a simpler, homespun, greener Christmas. It's packed with ideas for trimming the tree, outfitting the table, making the gifts and feeding the guests. It also offers many suggestions for more eco-friendly shopping and celebrating.

I loved this book. It's perfect for those, like me, who are tired of the commercialism of Christmas and wish this time of year wasn't so chaotic, stressful and wasteful. Even though the recipes and crafts look simple, the results are nevertheless stunning. The instructions for each are straightforward and easy to follow. Each project features a level of difficulty indicator, a list of materials, step-by-step instructions with accompanying photos, as well as a photo (or photos) of the finished product. The book even has templates for the crafts that need them.

I appreciate all of the "Green Tips" that are scattered throughout the book. These tips include how to recycling various items, what to look for when shopping, etc. There are also "Cooking Tips" on some of the recipes that further advice.

I loved all of the photographs in the book. They are large and beautifully presented. Especially lovely are the ones featuring the themed Christmas trees. I loved the Natural Christmas tree with the dried fruit slices and cinnamon sticks; the Fabric and Paper Christmas tree with the homemade decorations; and the Edible Christmas tree with the cookies and other treats to eat. Fabulous!

The book also features a substantial Table of Contents as well as a pretty good index. Both of these makes items in the book easy to find. There's also a Directory, which lists the various companies from which supplies can be purchased. Most of them are in the USA and have websites, so if you're into online shopping and can't find the items locally that might be an option.

I haven't made any of the recipes or craft projects yet, but I do have my eye on a couple. The first craft project on my agenda is called "A Flock of Festive Birds" (page 73). Basically, it's a tree decoration in the shape of a bird (or birds) made out of felt. Odds and ends are used for decoration. I already have the scrap felt and the rest assembled and ready to start. I also really want to make the cotton bag (page 170), which according to the introduction would be "perfect for taking to the beach". As far as recipes go, I really want to try the "Marshmallow sweets" (page 260), the "Spiced Nuts" (page 271) and the "Parsnip Chips" (page 272-273).

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the DK Publishing website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at DK Canada for this review copy.

A Greener Christmas by Sheherazade Goldsmith, Dorling Kindersley (DK Publishing), ©2008. ISBN 9780756656478(Trade paperback), 352p.

The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel

In The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship, Val and Lilly have been close friends for a long time. The two of them have shared many recipes over the years as the only two members of "The Recipe Club". However, a misunderstanding has left them estranged. As they try to reconnect, a long kept secret is finally revealed and once again their friendship is threatened.

I loved so many things about this book. First, the format. It's a little quirky as most of the story is told through letters going back and forth between Lilly and Val. I thought the style and the story were a good fit. Second, the recipes. I love to cook and am always pleased to find new recipes. This is especially nice when I find recipes in unexpected places, like in a novel. Third, the story. Val and Lilly had a falling out and openly shared their thoughts about that. I loved that it wasn't just a big love fest. I also loved that the story was unique and unpredictable. I had no clue where the story was going or where it was going to end up.

Having said all that, I didn't think the recipes went that well with the story. Mostly the recipes were mentioned as an aside or after thought in the letters. Although one of the characters was a caterer, she didn't do a lot of that in the story, so there was little or no connection there. In addition, some of the recipes were a little exotic for girls of that age. For example, Lilly sent Val a recipe for "Wild Duck with Cherry Orchard Sauce" (page 81). This was when they were thirteen-year-olds. This recipe would not at all have appealed to me when I was that age. Perhaps they were more sophisticated. Also, the "Turkish 'Cigarettes'" (page 67) calls for phyllo dough. Was that readily available in 1965? I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have been able to find it in our area.

I haven't made any of the recipes in the book, but I plan to. The "Cheerful Salmon Croquettes" (page 145) look promising. Also, the Turkish "Cigarettes" (with the above mentioned phyllo dough) sound wonderful.

Recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the HarperCollins website or The Recipe Club website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel, HarperCollins, ©2009. ISBN 9780061992193(Hardcover), 363p.

The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry

The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published offers authors advice on how to write, sell and market their books successfully.

I really enjoyed this book. The information is offered a in concise and entertaining manner, which not only makes it easy to read, but fun as well. This material could be pedantic and heavy, but it really comes across as interesting and light-hearted in the hands of these authors. Even though I don't plan to write or publish a book, I found the information fascinating. I'll never really know how hard authors work, but after going through this book, I have a better idea. They have my upmost respect.

While the book is geared towards helping authors, it contains lots of information regarding the writing and publishing process that others (for example, book lovers) may find interesting. It covers topics such as: submitting the book, self-publishing, working with contracts, touring, selling your book and much, much more. There's also several appendices with invaluable information for the author, including a list of selected publishers and contact names.

The book was first published in 2005, but this recent edition includes a new chapter on social networking sites and all things online. There's tons of information for authors as well as others who use those online sites.

Recommended.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the Workman Publishing website.

Would you like a peek inside? There are a couple of chapters online: Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.

For more information about the authors and other cool stuff, please visit Eckstut and Sterry's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Workman Publishing for this review copy.

The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, Workman Publishing, ©2010. ISBN 9780761160854(uncorrected proof), 468p (plus index).

Up from the Blue: A Novel by Susan Henderson

In Up From the Blue, Tillie is all grown up and about to give birth to her first child. With her husband out of town, she enlists the help of her estranged father. This brings back some painful memories of her childhood. Her mother's erratic behaviour and her disappearance after a move to another city have left some deep emotional scars on the young Tillie. Being raised by her father wasn't easy either, especially since she suspected that her father had something to do with her mother's disappearance. She soon finds out that it's a little more complicated that she first imaged.

I quite enjoyed reading this book. The story is beautiful told. I love the way it all unfolded. The book presented a great look at the life of a military family in the 1970s as they move to another city after the father gets a new job. With a strict controlling military man for a father and a mentally ill mother, Tillie was bound to have some problems and harbour some hard feelings. The parts of the story that dealt with mental illness and race relations of the time (because of Tillie's friend) were quite interesting.

For me, the last few chapters of the young Tillie's narration is what brought the story all together. Up until then, I had a little trouble believing that Tillie didn't have any idea what happened to her mother. Even though she was young, she should have known that something was not right. When she did find out what happened, she kept that information to herself and didn't do very much about the situation. I sometimes forget how unreliable children are as narrators. Their life experiences give them a skewed outlook. Perhaps that why parts of the story came across as unbelievable. I would have loved to hear this story from the father's point of view. Even the mentally-ill Mara's(Tillie's mother) take would have been interesting. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it at that.

I liked Tillie as a child, but not that much as an adult. She just seemed so bitter and aggressive towards her father even when she was asking for his help. He had his faults, but he did come to help her when she was in need. That in itself should have earned him so points and softened her harsh view of him. I understand grudges and bad feelings, but if that's how she felt about him, why did she ask for his help?

Despite what I said above, I would still recommend this book to others. There are plenty of great reviews out there with high praises for this book. They shouldn't be too hard to find.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more information about the author, please visit Susan Henderson's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

Up From the Blue by Susan Henderson, HarperCollins Publishers, ©2010. ISBN 9780061984037(Uncorrected Proof), 317p.

Photo Friday - Vivid

For more "Vivid" photos, visit the Photo Friday website.
For more of my submissions, please my PhotoFriday set on my Flickr page.

Renovating our basement and CSN Stores

When we moved into our house just a little over 18 months ago, we knew that we were going to be renovating the basement at some point. That means insulating the walls, drywalling, painting, installing a drop ceiling and all the rest. Since there are some government grants available now for insulating basements, we figured we'd take advantage of them.

The supplies arrived on Monday and the workmen started yesterday. We were so excited until last night we were standing in the middle of the basement looking at all of the new living space we were going to gain, when we came to the realization that we had no furniture to put in it. Zippo. Nada. That's what happens when you move into a space that's bigger than your last one.

So this morning I was surfing the web and looking at newspaper flyers to see if I could find something (anything) to fill up that space. I came across these beautiful bar tables and stools that will come in handy in our little bar area. It's great because I found them on the CSN Stores website, a website that I love and have used before. They also have some other stuff that will look great in our new basement (once it's done). All I have to do now is decide what to get first.

Stay tuned because in the near future I'll be reviewing my purchase from CSN. Don't know yet what it's going to be, but it should be fun.

The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker

In The Dark Vineyard, Bruno, the Chief of Police in Saint-Denis gets called in when there's a fire at a research station for genetically modified crops. Bruno suspects that some local environmentalists are to blame and begins looking at that angle. Meanwhile, winemakers are interested in the land around Saint-Denis and Bruno is concerned that his small town is about to get very crowded. He has his hands full with suspicious characters and two mysterious deaths, but still finds time for romance, friends, food and wine.

This was such an enjoyable read. I felt like I had been transported to France in this wonderful quaint mystery. There are no car chases or high action scenes, but with writing and characters like this, who needs them. Even though the book is the sequel to Bruno, Chief of Police, you don't have to read that one first to enjoy this one. I haven't read the first one (yet) and I loved this book. There were a few references to past events that presumably happened in the first book, but not really that much. I had been looking forward to reading Bruno, Chief of Police, but now I'm even more excited to read it and to revisit Bruno in France. It should be fun.

I loved that Walker briefly explained the French legal system. It was quite interesting and made the story easier to follow. I was equally thrilled with the descriptions of food and wine/winemaking. Everything sounded so delicious. I wanted to join right in.

Bruno Courrèges was a great character. He clearly cared a great deal about Saint-Denis and wanted to protect it and its inhabitants. That showed in his police work and how he dealt with others.

New words: The book is sprinkled with French words, a few of which I didn't recognise. I was able to work out their meaning, though, so I didn't record many of them.
pompiers (page 3): firefighter
mairie (page 16): town hall

Highly recommended. I'd love to read another book by this author.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit the HarperCollins Canada website.

Looking for more recommendations, news from the world of books and other fun bookish stuff? Check out The Savvy Reader, the blog from HarperCollins Canada.

For more information about the author, this series and his other books, please visit the Bruno, Chief of Police website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins Canada for this review copy.

The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker, HarperCollins, ©2009. ISBN 9781554682669(Hardcover), 303p.