Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Healthy and Happy


Danny Seo is a regular contributor to Today Show, and founder of Naturally, Danny Seo, a magazine. He advocates for a green and healthy lifestyle and his new cookbook, Naturally,Delicious, 100 Recipes For Healthy Eats That Make You Happy is another product espousing those values. In the introduction, Mr Seo talks about the healthy pantry, what one needs to keep on hand. Did you know organic milk is sterilized at a higher temperature than regular milk so it lasts longer? He talks about the "greenest" products, like using unbleached parchment paper vs. regular.
Lots of lovely pictures grace these pages with many healthy recipes. For breakfast, how about smoked salmon toast with kale dill yogurt? Or buckwheat pancakes with sauteed apples? Meat is not neglected, hence, braised grass fed beef ragu with creamy polenta. And, of course many innovative vegetable and grain recipes. I liked the chapter that featured teas, juices, and smoothies, a bit unusual. Something for everyone, and healthy too! ML


Thursday, August 25, 2016

Don't Tempt Me


Don't Tempt Me is the first book of the series by Lori Foster. It's a contemporary romance set in a small town and the story features two couples in a single book. Don't Tempt Me can definitely get you hooked from the very first page. You will immediately fall in love with Honor Brown and Lexie Perkins. As best friends, they certainly get along, but they also couldn't be more different to one another. While Honor is a little more reserved and independent, Lexie is seen as more of the party girl.

Don't Tempt Me is sweet, sexy and funny. It has all the things you will look for in a contemporary romance. *JK*

Thursday, August 18, 2016

More Pate and Wine?



 Our favorite French policeman, Bruno, is back.  Fatal Pursuit is Martin Walker's  ninth in the series, and as usual, Bruno is in the middle of the action. The village is staging a classic car rally, and when a woman finds her husband dead, Bruno suspects it may be more than a heart attack. There is also all the aspects we read the story for, wonderful meals concocted by Bruno, his cast of friends, and oh yeah, the love interest. A lovely series with just enough edge. ML

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

The Dark Truth



Allison used to be Esme. She used to live in a crooked house in a remote town on the English coast. Then everything changed. She moved away, changed her name and tried to become anonymous. Things were just fine until her boyfriend Paul invites her to go to a wedding in her old hometown. She decides to go but is not prepared for the haunting nightmares that resurface. After 13 years the time has come for Allison to confront her past. The Crooked House by Cristobel Kent is a dark thriller about deep secrets and Allison’s search for the truth. You can run but you can’t hide. DB

Saturday, August 13, 2016

The Right Kind of Trouble


The Right Kind of Trouble by Shiloh Walker was surprisingly a well written book. The characters were fully fleshed out and the storyline was great. The balance between the suspense, love story and the family was perfect. The twists were spot on and the book was a smooth yet gripping read. Shiloh Walker wrote a great story here.

For almost 20 years Gideon had been holding on to his love for Moira but when the last year only brings more heartache, he decides that it is finally time to leave the town of Mckay's Treasure. Moira, on the other hand, has played the martyr and punished herself by refusing to accept Gideon's love but when it looks like he might finally be done, it snaps something inside her.*JK*


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Painting the truth...


Two points of view...some readers love this and others not! This reader feels different points of view add richness and complexity to a novel. Jessie Burton's novel The Muse, is a smart blend of literary and commercial fiction with intriguing characters and a  mystery at its center. In 1967 London, Odelle Bastien, a Trinidadian Ă©migrĂ© with literary aspirations, begins dating a man who inherited an unusual portrait of two girls from his late mother. Its discovery excites and shocks Odelle's employers at the Skelton Institute of Art, since few works by the  painter Isaac Robles, who vanished during the Spanish Civil War, are known to exist. In 1936 Andalusia, Isaac and his half sister, Teresa, become involved with the wealthy Schloss family, who are renting a nearby villa. Olive Schloss keeps secret her own painting from her family who are sure to disapprove. The two plots twine together in unexpected ways. A good read. ML

Friday, August 5, 2016

Out of Egypt



Kiya, a beautiful young Egyptian woman has everything— riches, a handsome fiancĂ©, social status. Through a sudden twist of fate she finds herself enslaved and scorned. Her only friend is a fellow slave, Shira, who is Hebrew.  When plagues ravage Egypt, Kiya is told of a plan to gain her freedom. She must leave with Shira and her family and follow their leader, Moses, into the desert away from Egypt. Kiya, her mother and brother join the exodus. She must leave behind all her beliefs and her way of life. She has chosen a path, but is it the right one? Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette is a unique Biblical fiction. She gives the reader a glimpse of ancient life through the eyes of a reluctant wanderer. DB

Thursday, August 4, 2016

If the Earl Only Knew


If the Earl Only Knew has a delightful start to what looks to be an incredible series. There are so many wonderful characters in this book, it's hard to decide who to like. The story itself has a different feel to it than a typical historical romance. But there is plenty of action, suspense, romance, and family relationships.

The main character, Lady Katherine was definitely a kind of lady that's not afraid to express her opinions. As children, Kate and her brother are orphaned and taken to debtor's prison for their father's debts. When they're released, they find ways to take care of themselves.

John, is another character who proved that beneath the polished charm is a man of honor, strength, and action. He was somewhat arrogant before taking the title of Earl of Wynbrook, but his responsibilities slowly changed him to be more likable. *JK*

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Moving Forward



What happens when you have lost everything? That’s what happens to Diane, a shopkeeper in Paris. She runs a literary cafĂ© with her loving, but flighty friend Felix. Life is wonderful when a sudden accident claims the lives of Diane’s husband and her young daughter. She is completely lost. After a year of grieving she decides to go to Ireland. Maybe a change will do her some good.  Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand is a story about coming back to life. The characters are sensitive and familiar. The good news is that a sequel is coming out next year. DB