Isn't she lovely?

The Look of Love by Mary Jane Clark is a light murder mystery that envelops part-time actress and cake decorator Piper Donovan. When she agrees to make a wedding cake for Jillian, director of the exclusive beauty retreat Elysium in Hollywood, she doesn’t realize that her life could be in danger. There are several ruthless characters that wish to stop the wedding and want to harm Jillian and ruin Elysium’s reputation. They will stop at nothing to attain their goals. The story gives the reader a glimpse at the ugliness of the beauty industry. A quick read something that you can pick up and put down easily. DB

Make Your Own Furry Pal

Have allergies? Maybe your landlord doesn't allow pets? If you're handy with the knitting needles (or know someone who is), pick up Knit Your Own Cat: Easy-to-Follow Patterns for 16 Frisky Felines by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne. From Persians to Torties, and everything in between, this book provides simple instructions for creating your very own new best friend. Litter box not necessary. HM

Southern Hospitality

Nestled in the foothills just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, The Loveless Café is an iconic destination in and of itself. It genuinely pays homage to true Americana. When a colleague of mine brought this book to my attention, I knew we would need to add it to our Library’s collection. The true Southern charm of this quaint and busy café is well worth the 30 minute drive from downtown; not to mention, the food and service is among some of the best Southern hospitality you could ever ask for. The recipes are quite practical, yet so delicious—then again, when you add Tennessee whiskey, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, butter, sugar, and heavy cream together, what wouldn’t be good, right? (Drunken Caramel Sauce, p. 206).

I personally own a copy of Southern Country Cooking from the Loveless Café: Hot biscuits, country ham. However, my collection just wouldn’t be complete without this book being added to my kitchen arsenal (don’t worry, I am not going to keep the Library’s copy, I will buy my own). If ever you venture to Nashville, a visit to the Loveless Café is a definite must, but as the book states, “now anyone who can’t travel to Nashville or wait two hours for a table can have a taste of the Loveless at home!”--BC

Living Under The Great Leader

Culled from interviews with defectors, journalist Barbara Demick calls Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea an oral history of the people. Published in 2009, her subjects' recollections span the years after Kim Il-sung's rise following WWII and the transfer of power to Kim Jong-il after his father's death. Piecing together stories and memories, Demick is able to pull aside the curtain that has kept North Korea virtually closed to foreigners for the past half-decade and illustrate the daily struggles and suffering of the people themselves, from the "glory days" of the Kim regime through the Arduous March of the 1990s, a famine that killed anywhere between 800,000 to 3.5 million people.

Nothing to Envy was awarded the 2010 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize and was a finalist for the 2010 National Book Award. HM

Time to Get Away!

Is the travel bug biting? Even if you can’t get away right now, armchair travel will be a satisfying solution. Book Lust to Go: Recommended Reading for Travelers, Vagabonds, and Dreamers by Nancy Pearl will take you away. NPR’s librarian extraordinaire offers reading recommendations set in exotic international locations from Amazonia to Zimbabwe. She also includes American fiction and non-fiction for those with travel anxiety. So pack your bags or grab your glasses and get ready to read! DB

A coming of age story.

In The Flight of Gemma Hardy, Margot Livesey is inspired by Jane Eyre to write this tale of a orphan. Taken in by her uncle, Gemma Hardy is again left alone when he dies and his unfeeling wife sends her to a boarding school. At school she is little more than unpaid labor, but allowed to go to class. Our heroine is plucky though and finds people who care about her. When she is too old for the school she takes a governess position and falls in love with the owner of the estate. Sooo Jane Eyre! He of course has a secret but all things are made right in the end. A well written and satisfying read! ML

Loving and leaving

Lily Tuck's novel, I married you for happiness starts with the line "His hand is growing cold: still she holds it." Nina has discovered her husband of many years has died suddenly as he was taking a nap. As she sits beside him for one night, her memory ranges over the years of their marriage. Beautifully written, this novel explores the profound depths of memory, chance and marriage. Although sad, not depressing! ML