My Top 5 Books from 2015

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I read 75 books last year.  I covered a lot of ground in the course of those 75 books.  I thought it would be fun to revisit my favorite books one last time.  In no particular order, here are my top five reads from this past year.  Wow.... when I looked back through the list of titles and the reviews, holy cow did I cover some literary ground!  This year, I'm not going to try to set a goal on the number of books read, but I am going to continue to review the books I do read.  I do enjoy a good read!

image: amazon.com

1) Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike.
Tavia lost her family in a plane crash a few years ago.  The sole survivor of the crash, she doesn't remember much except for a few earth shaking details: 1) Someone is trying to kill her.  2) She is an Earthbound eternal being, searching for her eternal mate, who is somewhere in the world and must be found, soon.  3) The earth is being destroyed by a continent eating virus.
and 4) She is the only one who can save the planet.

image: amazon.com

2) The Wright Brothers by David McCullogh
The detailed story of the Wright Brothers, and the work that went into getting the Wright Flier off of the ground and into the air that magic day in Kitty Hawk.  Sure, we all know that they were the first to achieve manned flight.  But, do you have any idea about all of the work that went into getting that airplane into the air, and how hard they had to fight to get the recognition for the work that they did from the United States?  Like all stories, this is a much deeper story than we were ever taught in school.





3) Capital Days: Michael Shiner's Journal by Tonya Holden

If you know anything about the history of slavery.Michael was outstanding in so many ways.  As a black man, he was able to read and write at a time when it was against the law to be able to do so.  He kept a book where he detailed small happenings in and around the place where he worked - the Washington Naval Yard.  He met people who have since become staples of United States History.  His journal runs from around 1812 - 1870.




4) Bear in the Back Seat by Kim Delozier

Picture: Amazon

Kim Delozier reflects upon his 30 years of service to the NPS in this wonderful romp down memory lane.  Kim worked with the wildlife, and the love that he has for the park, for his job, and mostly for the bears in the park come through on every single page.

The Smokies are my favorite National Park, and we have been there many times.  We have been to talks given by Kim back when he was a ranger working at headquarters.  (As opposed to out in the field, where the real action is going on.)  I had never stopped to think about the wildlife management aspect of working in the park.  Kim brings the very real struggles that park rangers have, maintaining the safety of the animals when millions of tourists are walking obliviously next to them, and how many tourists are unwittingly endangering the lives of these bears with their actions.

image: amazon.com

5) The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki
This fascinating tale is based upon the life of Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria.  She was beloved by her people, and considered to be the most beautiful woman of her time.  The author has done endless research into the intrigues of the Hapsburg Court at this time, and it shows in the rich attention to detail: from the court protocols, to the clothing, to the descriptions of the castle and the countryside.  You will find yourself swept into 19th century Vienna.

Book Review: A Clash of Kings

It's my 75th book, and it's a doozy!  This is the second book in the series, "A Song of Fire and Ice", upon which the HBO series Game of Thrones is based.
In this second book, with the death of King Robert, the 7 Kingdoms are no longer allied.  Alliances have been broken and new partnerships are being formed.  Devious plots within plots within plots are hatched, and deception and intrigue run rampant throughout the land.

In the north, King Rob Stark seeks vengeance for his father's death.  His sister Sansa is held hostage by the Queen, betrothed to King Joffrey.  The sister Arya has disappeared into anonymity and is desperately seeking to get home.

King Joffrey, a true figurehead, loosely reigns over his kingdom while his mother, the Queen Cersei, and his Uncle Tyrion, the Hand, truly rule the kingdom.  Both the Hand and the Queen have very different ideas of what is in the best interest of House Lannister.

Meanwhile, a deposed Danerys seeks to return her family to the rightful throne of the kingdom.  With the help of the darkest of magics, she has hatched 3 dragons.  Real, living dragons that have not been seen in the kingdom in more years than anyone can count.  The addition of dragons to the power struggle in the 7 Kingdoms is a powerful game changer.

This is a thrilling high fantasy ride for the dedicated Fantasy fan.  I know many have seen the HBO series, but the book is always better.  Deeper plot, deeper story line, and more details and side plots than you find on the television series.  While not the page turner that Game of Thrones was, Clash of Kings still has a driving plot that relentlessly moves forward.  No character is safe from the whims of fate, and the realities of life will take down any character at a moment's notice.

Book Review: The New American Herbal

I work in an academic library.  One of the subjects that we teach at our school is herbs.  It's a subject that I think most of us are curious about - what are herbs, and how can we use them to benefit us?  I know I find the subject to be fascinating.  Herbs were used as medicine for centuries before modern medicine came along.  These herbs still have medicinal properties that we can benefit from today.

The New American Herbal is an A - Z Guide of herbs that are common in the United States today.  Each herb is listed, with the history of the herb, and how it is commonly used.  In a sidebar are listed the category, origin, type, height, other names and varieties, how to grow, season, and safety.  Recipes are included throughout the book for using herbs in every day cooking.

Every herb has an accompanying full color picture.  The vibrant, full color pictures will allow the user to identify herbs found in the wild, as well as random herbs that volunteer in the garden. The pictorial guide alone sold me on the book. 

The beginning chapter of the book is about Herb Basics:  Growing Herbs, Garden Projects, Herbal Preparations, Kitchen Projects, and Specialty Herbs.  In just a few short pages, the reader is given enough of a taste of how to grow and use herbs that they will be empowered to start growing and using herbs more often than they already do.

I checked out this book from the library.  After reading the book, I am adding this to my personal library.  The information contained within these pages is invaluable.  (I also like the fact that this book will be on my shelves, and I can pull it off whenever I need it - I don't need to haul out my cell phone or a computer.)

Book Review - Capital Days: Michael Shiner's Journal

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Michael Shiner was a black slave in Washington DC.  The small book that he kept detailing the events in and around his life began in 1812.  He described the invasion of Washington by the British - and ends with his death, in 1870.  He lived through the building of Washington, DC (and the rebuilding), the Civil War, and finally, he saw the day when all black slaves were admitted as citizens of the United States.

If you know anything about the history of slavery.Michael was outstanding in so many ways.  As a black man, he was able to read and write at a time when it was against the law to be able to do so.  He kept a book where he detailed small happenings in and around the place where he worked - the Washington Naval Yard.  He met people who have since become staples of United States History.

The book itself is a gem beyond words.  The author, Tonya Bolden, found this tiny little journal in the Library of Congress while researching for another project.  The book haunted her, and she put in time to find out more about Michael Shiner, who he was, and the times in which he lived.

The result of all this work is this amazing book that not only highlights the ups and downs of Michael's life but ties in the times that he is living in with the events in the wider world around him. Slave rebellions, kidnappings of black families to sell south into slavery, DC Riots, are all detailed in this wonderful step back in time.

One of my favorite highlights of the book was the timeline in the back of each chapter that tied together the events discussed in Michael Shiner's journal with events in United States History.  It really helped to bring his story to life.

If you are looking for a journey back in time, this is the book for you!

Book Review: Dragon Bane

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I picked up this book, and I was immediately dropped into a high fantasy world that transcends time.  It is based in our world and time, but the characters have the ability to travel through time.  After a chapter or two, I realized that I had been dropped into the story line in the middle - instead of at the beginning.  No matter, the author wrapped me up into her world, and the characters worked their dragon magic on me.  I was hooked before the end of the first hundred pages.  What a fabulous piece of high fantasy!  With a tale woven through time and dimensions.... it is a sweeping piece of imaginative work.  I will have to read the other books that tie into this novel.  The author does a fabulous job of giving just enough information about what had come before in order to keep the story moving and to give the reader enough information to understand the current action in the story.  WHAT A FANTASTIC READ!!!!

Please Note:
This book contains adult themes.  In the movie theaters, this book would get an "R" rating for sex.

Book Talk:
Maxis Drago is a mysterious, antisocial, withdrawn dragon who lives in Sanctuary - a quiet place in the city of modern day New Orleans that offers sanctuary to the magical, mystical shape shifting creatures that inhabit our world.

For thousands of years, Max has lived a solitary life, working to guard and protect the items that were entrusted to his care.   Quietly living in Sanctuary, very few know the true story of Max's past.

And then, Fate intervenes and not only puts Max back into the limelight, but exposes his past to everyone who lives with him - forcing them to choose sides.

It begins the night that Max's wife - the wife he thought had died centuries ago - shows up to tell him that his children (that he never knew he had) had been kidnapped and were being held prisoner.  They would only be released when Max was given in exchange.

Why is Max such a hot commodity?  Because he is the dragon bane.  Legend has it that he is the one who killed the Greek Prince who first merged humans and dragons.  The Greek Prince who began the great line of shape-shifting humans with his great and powerful control of the darkest of magics.  Hatred for Max has been brewing for centuries among all shape shifters- even the ones with whom he lives so quietly.

 When his wife suddenly shows up out of nowhere, Max is forced to reveal his unsavory past to his extended family in Sanctuary.

Will he be able to rescue his children in time?
Will his wife's plan to turn him over to the enemy succeed?
Will his extended family accept him for who he is, or will they force him back out into the world?
Will war erupt between the residents of Sanctuary and the "others" who claim the same heritage but have chosen sides?

Book Review- The Cat Who Books by Lillian Jackson Braun

Image: Amazon

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Have you ever read "The Cat Who Books?"  These sweetly wonderful little mysteries were written by Lillian Jackson Braun.  She wrote the first 3 in the 1960's - at the same time she was a career woman, working for a Midwestern Newspaper.  Publishers were not thrilled with her books at the time, because they did not feature enough sex and violence for the prevailing cultural climate.

In the 1980's, she decided to revisit The Cat Who books, and see if maybe there was a demand.. and thus began a sweetly wonderful set of mystery books.

The first three books were set in an urban area in an undisclosed Mid-Western City.  The hero of the story, Jim Qwilleran, was a down on his luck newspaper reporter who was trying to find a new lease on life.  His luck begins to change with his association with the intelligent Koko, and later with the adoption of sweet little YumYum - both Siamese Cats who were adopted under tragic circumstances.

Image: Amazon

In the second iteration of the books, Qwill has inherited the Klingenshoen Fortune.  The fortune came to him with one stipulation, that he live in Moose County - located 500 miles north of everywhere.
The adventures that follow him in Moose County are whimsical - as only small town life can be - and filled with mysteries as he unravels the various tragedies and travesties that seem to follow him into his new life.

Familiar faces make repeat appearances in the books, and become welcome characters that you enjoy watching grow and change over the course of the books.  Lori Bamba- cat whisperer extraordinaire, and her husband Nick figure throughout all the books.  Arch Riker follows Qwill from the urban hell down below and becomes a prominent player in Qwill's life in the North Country.  With each of the cast of characters making repeated appearances in the books, you find yourself coming home to a wonderful place in time each time you open a book.

I always find that a part of me yearns to find Moose County and move there myself.  Of course, I live in my own variation of Moose County - a rural community in Maryland - and we do have our own unique cast of characters that inhabit our daily lives and routines.  I think we all have that cast of characters, but I think they stand out more in small towns than they do in large urban areas.

Braun passed away in 2011 at the age of 97.  (Think about that - 97!)
She wrote 29 Cat Who books.  She worked for the Detroit Free Press for much of her life - and her love of newspapering shows through in her portrayal of Qwill's character.

Book Review: Brain Maker

Fascinating look at the impact our gut has on our health.  Medical Science is now beginning to refer to our gut as our "second brain".   The microbiome that we have in our large and small intestine impacts our body's ability to fight infection and remain healthy.  The health of our microbiome also has a direct impact upon inflammation in our body.  Many chronic diseases begin with chronic inflammation.

Perhaps what struck me the most about this book is the author's claims about the effects of inflammation and your gut health on Alzheimer's Disease.  I'm not claiming one way or another that what he says is true- research is beginning to come in that supports some of these claims.  Having a healthy microbiome and eating correctly is not as sexy as a popping a pill - the long term effects could be worth the time and effort of cultivating good gut health now.  What does it hurt to invest in eating right now?  If you never get a chronic disease, you'll never know that it worked.

Seriously, there is a lot of hard science in this book, and it is broken down into terms that a lay person can easily understand.  And a deep hard look at how the typical American Diet is killing us.  We also get a look at what steps we can immediately take to counteract the effects.

I've seen research coming out about gut health and the effects our gut health has on all of our other body systems.  We have been ignoring this side of our overall health for far too long, with devastating effects on our health.  If you're looking for a fascinating read with enormous potential impact upon our health, this book is for you!

Book Review: Bear in the Back Seat: Adventures of a Wildlife Ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Picture: Amazon

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Imagine what it's like to work in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Can you picture what it's like to work with the animals, the tourists, and working to maintain the balance that is required to keep the animals and people safe?

Kim Delozier reflects upon his 30 years of service to the NPS in this wonderful romp down memory lane.  Kim worked with the wildlife, and the love that he has for the park, for his job, and mostly for the bears in the park come through on every single page.

The Smokies are my favorite National Park, and we have been there many times.  We have been to talks given by Kim back when he was a ranger working at headquarters.  (As opposed to out in the field, where the real action is going on.)  I had never stopped to think about the wildlife management aspect of working in the park.  Kim brings the very real struggles that park rangers have, maintaining the safety of the animals when millions of tourists are walking obliviously next to them, and many tourists are unwittingly endangering the lives of these bears with their actions.

Did you know, Garbage Kills Bears?  Through our own idiocy and lack of attention to details, we humans have taught bears that they can come to humans, or raid their trash cans for food.  Once bears learn not to fear humans, and learn that humans are a source of food, they become a danger to themselves and to humans.  While reminiscing about the highlights of his time working in the Smokies, he continuously comes back to how much he loves the black bears, and what we can do to protect them and keep them safe.

A note here: this book reminds me in many ways of the All Creatures...  books written by James Herriott. 

Book Review: Out on a Limb: A Smoky Mountain Mystery

image: amazon

I must admit, I wasn't expecting this book to be a heart pounding page turner.  I wasn't expecting to read through the night to finish this.  I certainly wasn't expecting to fall in love with a brand new to me author, and to begin the hunt to find all of the other books that she has written.  Having said that, let me actually do a professional book review!

Ivy Iverson loves her job.  She is a graduate student at the University of Tennessee, and she loves to climb trees.  Not just any trees, she loves to find the tallest and oldest trees and climb them as high as possible.

Phoebe McFarland is a nurse who grew up in the Smoky Mountains and went away after going to college.  After a successful career in the big city, Phoebe decides to return home and provide skilled medical care for the people in the community where she grew up.

While climbing one of the tallest trees in the Great Smoky Mountains, Ivy is attacked and left for dead - hanging hundreds of feet above the ground.

Phoebe's life unexpectedly intersects with Ivy's when a mysterious purple backpack is found in Cade's Cove.  While Phoebe and her friend Ranger Henry attempt to track down the owner of the backpack, they begin to fear that her very life is in danger.  The more they delve into the circumstances surrounding the owner of the backpack, the more they begin to fear for her life.

What exactly was Ivy researching while high up in the trees?  Had she found something that somebody was willing to kill for in order to claim?  Or was she merely the victim of professional rivalry?  Can Phoebe and Ranger Henry find the answer before more people are killed?

In this twisty mystery, you will find yourself in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, and enjoy meeting the quirky characters who populated the area since long before the park existed.  You will be drawn into a mystery that involves modern day issues surrounding bio-flora, research, academia, and ownership of discoveries in our National Parks.

Book Review: The Wright Brothers

image: amazon.com

My Dad was in the Air Force, and we were stationed all over the United States when I was growing up.  Out of all of the places we were stationed, Dad was stationed in Fairborn for a total of 7 of my first 13 years.  (Dad's final tour in the military was in Virginia, and that's where I went to high school and college.)

If you're not familiar with Ohio, Fairborn is located just outside of Dayton, and the Wright Brothers were my Dad's personal heroes.  Growing up, we went by the home of Orville and Wilbur, I walked by the spot where their bicycle shop was located, and went to the field where they flew their airplanes, and to the Wright Brothers monument.

In school, the stories of Orville and Wilbur were told to us every year, and we all diligently wrote oral reports about them, built toothpick models of the Wright Flier, and looked at actual real bicycles that had been built by them.  The ability to fix your own bike was a highly prized trait among the youth in our neighborhood.

Heck, when Dad was stationed in North Carolina, we made a pilgrimage to Kitty Hawk to see the spot where it all began.

I honestly thought I knew all that there was to know about the Wright Brothers.  However, since they are family heroes, and this book was written by the incomparable David McCullough, I decided it was well worth reading it.  Six months on the wait list at the library, and I finally got the coveted e-mail from the library, letting me know that my book was waiting for me!

This book is well worth the read.  I found out things I never knew about the Wright family.  I found out things I never knew about Orville and Wilbur.  I found out things I never knew about the race to develop a flying machine - a race which was echoed many years later in what my generation remembers as "the space race".  Even more fascinating for me was the description of how the Wrights financed their own experiments and built their own equipment in the back of their bicycle shop.  Their ingenuity continues to amaze and impress me.

This well researched book will take you through the Wright family dynamics, and introduce you to the entire Wright family and explore the depth and dynamics of the relationships and how they impacted the brothers.  You will watch, speechless, as the brothers puzzle through the physics of flight and work out the beginnings of the equations that we now know are the driving principles of flight.  Breathless, you will sit on the sidelines as the brothers check out their planes, make adjustments, develop new plans, and finally fight for recognition for their accomplishments.

The Wright brothers truly embody American Ingenuity at it's best.  This book truly does a fantastic job of taking you back in time and journeying with Orville and Wilbur as they strive to do something that had never been done before.

Book Review: Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller

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 Most of us have heard the story of Helen Keller.  Born in the late 1th century, the young girl lost her hearing and her vision before she was 2 years old.  Trapped in a dark world that she didn't understand, Helen was a terror to everyone around her.  Unable to communicate with anyone, she would lash out in anger and frustration with everyone.

Enter Annie Sullivan.  As a young girl, Annie had lived in a poor house before getting the help she needed at the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston.  Eventually, Annie had the surgery she needed to restore her vision enough for her to read, write, and function as a seeing person would.

Trained in the ways of teaching young people with no sight or hearing to communicate with others, Annie was hired to work with Helen.

This book explores the relationship between Helen and Annie, and the hard, difficult work that went on in order to get Helen to understand how to communicate with other people.  

In fabulous fashion, the author and illustrator take the reader through the early lives of Helen and Annie, switching seamlessly from past to present through the medium of a graphic novel.

I learned much about Annie Sullivan, and the methods she used to work with Helen.  It is a fascinating look at the methods that were used at a time when children regularly lost their hearing and sight to sickness and fevers - a problem that we don't comprehend in our modern society with our fabulous drugs and the miracle of modern medicine.  While I am not certain that I agree with the methods, I do see where they were effective when nobody knew what else to do.

Fascinating book.  It was a fairly quick read, which was good, because the book was a page turner, and impossible to put down until the end.

Book Review: Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook

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One of my favorite mystery series is the series of Goldy Bear Mysteries written by Diane Mott Davidson.  I love the way the books are written.  What I have always enjoyed are the recipes contained within the books.  These recipes were written and developed by Diane herself.  She has said during interviews that she developed them all  tried them out on her own family - some with great success, and some were spectacular failures.

Goldy Bear herself is a caterer.  She was a victim of domestic violence, who divorced her abusive husband and struck out on her own as a caterer.  Goldy was a spunky gal who first got involved in the mystery business when a murder during one of her catered parties threatened to shut down her business. Through the course of the books, we are introduced to Goldy, her son Arch, her best friend Marla, and the man who slowly teaches her that she can trust and believe in love once again.

I admit, that in addition to enjoying the books, I also enjoyed the recipes.  After finishing a book, I would make many of the recipes that were in the books.  Each recipe tied into the mystery and were a part of the plot of the book.   A group of us even had a Goldy's Kitchen Dinner a few years back.  We made the entire meal from recipes gleaned from her books.  Wow, that was an awesome meal!

Diane's book The Whole Enchilada was the last book that she will write in the Goldy series.  I will miss Goldy and her family.  I want to know where Arch goes to college, when Julian opens his own restaurant, and when Tom becomes the Captain of the Police Force.  Mostly, I can't wait to see Marla become elected Mayor of the City of Denver.  I do understand and respect that she is finished writing the books, I will miss the story of their family.

But then - this gem was released earlier this week.  It's the cook book from Goldy's Kitchen!  Almost every recipe from her 17 books are included, and she's tossed in some new recipes that are her own family favorite recipes.  Interspersed between the recipes are tales from Diane's life.  Commentary about the books, stories about her family, friends, cooking, and stories about how she got into writing books in the first place.


While I have not yet begun to cook my way through the cookbook, I have read all of the text that she filled in between the recipes.  I loved hearing her writing voice again!  She is a talented writer, and she shines so bright when she writes about her passions.




I will be cooking my way through this wonderful book.  From beginning to end, I plan on hitting up every single recipe.  (OK, I'll be subbing in GF flour so I don't get sick, and I'll adjust cooking times accordingly so I don't turn anything into a piece of charcoal.)

I've already got my recipe for this weekend marked.  We are going to start with Tom's Layered Mexican Dip on Sunday afternoon during the football game. I might have to be very careful with my ankle, but I can still pull together something fun and yummy!

Book Review - Amelia Peabody Mysteries

Elizabeth Peters is the pen name of Barbara Mertz.  Barbara wrote under many names, but her Amelia Peabody mysteries are by far my favorite.

Set in the late 19th century and early 20th century, our heroine, Amelia finds herself confined by the strictures imposed upon women - no careers, no formal education, and no expectations beyond bearing children and taking care of husbands.  As a result, Amelia has reached an age of spinsterhood - living at home and taking care of her aging father.

When her father dies and leaves her with an unexpectedly large fortune, Amelia finds herself able to do the unthinkable - travel and think for herself.  She begins her journey in that most marvelous of all places, Egypt.  At this particular time in history, tombs of ancient Egyptian kings were being unearthed, and the knowledge of the ancient world was growing on a yearly basis.

While traveling, Amelia's path crosses with people who change her life forever, Evelyn Barton-Forbes, Walter Emerson, and Ramses Emerson. Amelia overcomes the obstacles to women being seen as equal to men, and finally finds her intellectual equal and the love of her life.

The course of the series follows Amelia and her family through time and archaeological expeditions in Egypt.  Crime, mystery, and thievery follows them at every turn, but unexpected friends are found along the way who help them and those that they love through troubled times.

As the children grow into adults, their voices are also heard in the stories, as they narrate happenings from their own viewpoint, which adds a rich level of depth to the stories.

If you've never read an Amelia Peabody book, you are in for a treat.  Get yourself over to the nearest library and check out a copy of one of her books and be prepared to enjoy every minute! 

Author's Web Site: http://www.ameliapeabody.com/

Book Review: Fire and Ice: Soot, Solidarity, and Survival on the Roof of the World

Fire and Ice: Soot, Solidarity, and Survival on the Roof of the World.

You know, I have a child who has been doing research on particulate matter and its effect on climate change for a couple of years now.  The more he tells me about this, the more I want to know.  This book takes a look at the direct cause and effect of climate change.  The nice thing is that we're not looking at climate change as "everything since 1970 is causing the polar ice caps to melt".  The author is looking at the big picture, as in "How everything since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution has worked together to change our environment, slowly and surely, everything has changed.

By focusing on the change of one tiny village - one village that was on the edge of a glacier 20 years ago and is now in the middle of a barren wasteland - the author forces the reader to examine the impact that coal and oil powered combustion - soot - has had upon the lives of a village that had been unchanged for thousands of years.

Nobody wants to face the thought that we might have forever altered the climate of our planet.  Nobody wants to admit that maybe, just maybe, we might be quickly approaching a point where we can do nothing to change what has been done before us.

It is easy to claim that climate change- or global warming - or whatever you choose to call it - is merely a myth dreamed up by liberals in order to get money.

But what if they're right?

Are you willing to have your thoughts challenged?  Are you ready to read a well researched book argue with an author, and maybe have a few of your views changed?

I enjoyed the book.  I argued with the author.  I am very concerned about what is going on in our world, and I hope - desperately hope - that this is all mumbo jumbo science, with no basis in fact or reality.

In the meantime, I've begun researching cleaner burning cars to replace our Civic, and I've begun searching for a cleaner burning wood stove that will cut back on the amount of soot and other various crap that is released into the air every time we use wood to heat.  Not that I am admitting anything one way or another, mind you, but.... what if they're right?

Book Review: The Accidental Highwayman

image: Amazon

Ben Tripp - The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides.

Kit Bristol is a jack of all trades who grew up in the circus.  For the past two years, he has been a manservant to his master.  Kit is completely devoted to his master.

One evening, Kit finds his master at the kitchen table, bleeding from mortal wounds.  He discovers that he has been the unknowing servant of the notorious highwayman, Whistling Jack.

In an attempt to save his master's life, and draw pursuers away from the manse, Kit puts on his master's costume, and leads the soldiers and townspeople on a merry chase through the countryside.

Little does Kit realize that by putting on the cloak, he has also taken on the magical contract that his master made with a witch.  If he does not honor the unknown contract, Kit will be dead within a month.  His last instructions from his master is to find the witch deep in the woods, and follow the directions she gives him.

The task from the mysterious witch?  To stop a carriage and rescue the person who rides within.

And so, the hapless, hopeless young servant turned highwayman begins his quest to find the princess and finds himself tangled up in a magical web that involves the beautiful faerie princess Morgana, pixies, goblins, an angry redcoat army, and one very upset father.

Can Kit manage to get the princess to safety?  Can he save himself?  Will he ever meet all of the magical bargain that his master made with the witch?

Come and journey through the long-ago English countryside with Kit Bristol and find the answer to all of these questions... and more.

This book was great - I enjoyed every single page of this book!  A fun, easy going light fantasy read with unexpected plot twists and turns.  Worth your time!

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Book Review: The MILF Diet

Have you ever wondered what a MILF is?  According to Wikipedia, "MILF" denotes a sexually attractive older female, generally between 30 and 50 in age and not necessarily an actual mother.  The term was popularized in the film American Pie (1999), though the origin of the term predates this (as it was) already used for years on the internet.

My daughter told me that she was "disturbed beyond words that her mother had checked out a book entitled the MILF diet".

Once you get past the "ickiness" of the premise, the book contains solid dietary advice for anyone who is looking to eat right and stay healthy.  Becoming a sex goddess is just a side benefit of eating right.

The MILF diet stresses whole grains, vegetables, proteins (primarily plant based), sea vegetables, natural sweets, and fermented foods. Thoughtful eating strategies are stressed, as well as eating in season fruits and vegetables.  Eating as low as possible on the food chain is encouraged.  There are so many wonderful gems and tidbits in this book, it is worth taking the time to read just for the nutritional tidbits.

The recipes include Millet Croquettes, Sun-Dried Tomato Ketchup, Fried Rice, Spelt Salad, Polenta with Braised Wild Mushrooms, Brad Pitt Vegetables, Tempeh-Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce, Arame with Onion, Carrot, and Corn,  and Vegetarian Chili.

I can't wait to try these recipes and so many more... everything looks easy to make and very tasty!

Seriously, if you're looking to eat more mindfully and maybe even lose a few pounds, the book is well worth reading.

Book Review: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

image: Amazon

Disclosure Notice: This post contains links to my Amazon Affiliates account.  Your purchases through this link will go to the "Remodel the Hallway Bathroom" fund.  Thank you for your support! 

I have read this book before, and it changed my perception of food and the way that I eat forever.  If you wonder why I bother going to Local Homestead Products, South Mountain Creamery, and Farm Stands on a regular basis, this book will answer your question.  We live in a world where we are far, far, far removed from the production of our food.  The distance our food travels to get to our plate is phenomenal.  The oil and water that is required to feed these crops and get them onto your plate is unbelievable.  Have you ever stopped to think about the process that is involved in getting your food to the table?

Most other countries don't rely as heavily upon the grocery store as we do.  People visit markets daily, where they pick up fresh meat, fruit, cheese, and vegetables on a daily basis - and they work with what is in season.  Have we ever wondered why there is such an obesity epidemic in our country?  It could very easily be related to the fact that we are so far removed from our food, we consider it almost an afterthought.  We pick up food that has been prepared for us by someone else, and shipped long distances long before we ever eat it.   (Chicken grown in Virgina, processed in China, and sold in Maine?  Don't laugh, it's done on a daily basis now.  It's called the "Global Economy".)

In this fascinating book, the Kingsolver family makes a pledge to eat nothing but local food for a year.  They define local to be within 100 miles of their home.  

The journey to find local food, and the repercussions of Big Business into farming are discussed in a way that makes sense, and also brings the very real politics (and money) of farming to a level which I can understand. 

Recipes and meal plans that follow the seasons are discussed as we join the Kingsolvers month by month through their challenge.  Not only did the family find food, they ate very well, and they thrived!

If you've followed my "Grocery Expenses" posts for any length of time, you know that I do tend to hit up some of the farm stands around us on a regular basis.  My dairy products are delivered by a local, family owned creamery.  Some of my meat comes from them, and some comes from Local Homestead Products - a little group of farmers that got together to see if they could cut out the middle man and sell quality, home grown meat to local consumers.  They recently expanded and are now also selling some vegetables, and started putting out bushel baskets of canning veggies last week.  I'll be back this weekend, with plans to put more stuff up.  Baugher's is another local, family owned orchard.  I hit them up in season and pick up my 50 pound bags of potatoes and onions, as well as bushels of peaches, apples, and pears.  

All of these local businesses employ local families, and some are in co-ops with other farmers in their area to provide more goods and services.  It's a win for the farmers.  The money I would pay my grocery store is going DIRECTLY to them.  They receive the full portion of what I pay, instead of some minuscule portion of that same amount.  

Think about it.  Then read the book and think about it some more.  It's worth more than one or two thoughts... there are some very deep issues here we, as people, will need to address soon.

Book Review: The Heroes of Olympus Book Five: The Blood of Olympus

Riordan, Rick.  The Heroes of Olympus Book Five: The Blood of Olympus.  2014.  Disney Hyperion.

Book Talk:  (Yeah, the librarian part of me needs the practice...)
The Heroes of Camp Half Blood are back!  Teaming up with the denizens of Camp Jupiter, these young people are determined to put a stop to the rise of the Earth Mother - Gaia.  All of her giants have risen, and they are powerful beyond anyone's wildest dreams.


Will the demigods be strong enough to look past their inherent differences and work together to stop the rise of the all powerful Gaia?

With the Gods suffering from multiple personality disorder, they will never be able to pull themselves together enough to help the demigods in time.  Or will they?

Just how will a handful of teenage demigods stop Gaia, unite the two camps, and defeat the giants?

My Note:
This was a fun filled romp through the worlds of Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter.  While this book could be read as a stand alone novel, I recommend reading the series, as this book refers to prior action that could be crucial to the story line.

I enjoyed the book.  It's not the same enjoyment I had with the Lightning Thief, but Rick Riordan does and excellent job of keeping the story line new, and moving the plot along without dwelling in the past.  I know that can be tricky, and I applaud him for continuing to keep the series fresh and exciting.

Book Review - Brick Shakespeare

Disclosure Statement:  This post contains affiliate links.

Brick Shakespeare - The Tragedies - Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar.

This may just be my favorite interpretation of Shakespeare's works.  Using nothing more than Lego building blocks and people, the authors have put together a fantastic look at Shakespeare.

Set in graphic novel style, each panel in the page shows in depth scenes from the story, with Shakespeare's words used throughout.  The action in the pictures brings life to the words, which can be difficult for our modern ears to understand.

I love the interpretation written at the beginning of each scene.  The narrators take the time to explain what is going on in the next scene, and the importance of the action to the storyline.

Hey, this book has Legos, action, and a pretty dynamic cast of characters.  What's not to like?

I honestly wish I'd had this version in high school - I might have paid better attention to the story line.  I really couldn't get into that whole 80's high school kids mispronouncing Shakespearean words in a round robin reading thing we did every day.  *shudder*  It STILL brings back some pretty awful memories.  

Book Review: Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories

Well, this was a fun book!  I was browsing through the children's section of the library last week when I found this beautiful book sitting on a shelf display.

This gorgeous little collection of Vietnamese Folk Tales has been lovingly illustrated.  Each tale has been handed down over time, through a rich oral tradition.

The tales of bravery and beauty, in which integrity, hard work, and honesty triumph will win your heart as they bring to life the great cultural heritage of Vietnam.

Reading this book is a wonderful way to spend some time with the beautiful people of Vietnam.  Whether you read these stories with one of your own little ones, or by yourself, this will be time well spent!