Lost in Amish Country

Originally published on 2/4/2013

Linda Castillo's series featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is great. Let me warn you now: this is not a book to be read in short spurts of 10 minutes here and there. I would suggest uninterrupted multi-hour chunks of time...with short breaks so a person can take a breath and grab a snack. The first title, Sworn to Silence, sucked me into the plot so fast that all other books, magazines, and TV shows must be set aside.

Our heroine returns to the town she grew up in to become the police chief and is repeatedly tested by difficult and dangerous cases. The Amish setting is unique, the characters have flaws, and the suspense is drawn out. There are twists and turns, and while I never try to guess who the bad guy is (because I am terrible at it), I wouldn't even bother with these.

The first three books all have the word "silence" in the title, so I have a hard time remembering the order: Sworn to Silence, Pray for Silence, and Breaking Silence. (And yes, they need to be read in order.) The fourth book is Gone Missing, and the fifth title comes out in June: Her Last Breath. (Yea!)

These books are thrillers--dark and somewhat violent. And they aren't funny. No snappy one-liners here, at least that I can recall. For that, I would go with John Sandford's series with investigator Virgil Flowers. And while I love that character, this series is a little different: no fishing breaks or rock band T shirts here.

I can't explain why Linda Castillo's books first grabbed me, but I liked them enough to buy them (a rarity for me). And I couldn't put them down.

--Elizabeth

So Many Muffins

Originally published on 3/17/2013

Gingerbread Crumble. Cafe Mocha. Whole Wheat Banana Pecan. Brown Butter and Oat. Garlic Chive Buttermilk. Peppermint White Chocolate. Maple Bacon. It is time to put muffin liners on your grocery list and check out Moufflet: More Than 100 Gourmet Muffin Recipes That Rise to Any Occasion by Kelly Jaggers. This cookbook has dozens of unique muffin recipes divided into Sweet Escapes and Savory Sensations as well as chapters on "Sensational Spreads" and "Crumbles and Glazes". I have not yet attempted any of the spreads as my Chocolate Chip Overload muffin tasted just fine without an addition of Cinnamon Walnut Cream Cheese. I had trouble even getting to the Savory Sensations section. You may be overwhelmed by the number of flags necessary to mark every interesting recipe. It's ok. Just stop bookmarking. Enjoy browsing, looking at the pictures, and deciding which muffin to make first...Peanut Butter Butterscotch Crumb? Sharp Cheddar Ale? Spiced Nut?

Storm Kings

Originally published on 4/28/2013

If you are interested in violent weather and its prediction, or enjoy watching The Weather Channel, then Lee Sandlin's Storm Kings: The Untold History of America's First Tornado Chasers is worth a read. The author describes the history of weather forecasting and meteorology from Benjamin Franklin's electricity experiments to Fujita's classification scale. It is not necessary to know the definition of the Coriolis effect or how convection works; Sandlin keeps the science simple, focusing on interesting characters who were repeatedly stumped by the creation and behavior of tornadoes.

Today we take accurate weather reports and severe storm warnings for granted, but even 60 years ago there was hesitation in issuing a tornado warning. Storm Kings chronicles the early struggles in experimentation and the resulting, often flawed, theories. The conflicts between the U.S. Army Signal Corps and the Weather Bureau regarding administration, data collection, and of course, funding force the reader to wonder how they found the time to issue even the most basic forecasts. The history of meteorologists and their ideas encompass a wide range of very colorful personalities and plans (starting huge fires to make it rain, using dynamite to collapse funnel clouds). Sandlin touches on tornadoes large and small whose damage and eyewitness accounts helped improve weather forecasting.

An "active, severe" storm season has been predicted for 2013...

Eye Spy

Originally published on 6/13/2013

I love large photo books, the kind that cover your lap and look good on your coffee table. Serengeti Spy: Views from a Hidden Camera on the Plains of East Africa by Anup Shah is a gorgeous title containing pictures of animals from the national parks and reserves of Tanzania and Kenya. There are photos of cape buffalos, jackals, elephants, gazelles, zebras, and vultures. Each photo's caption is short and interesting; the image details are so clear that I find myself flipping through pages over and over.

In the introduction Shah explained how he camouflaged the camera, but could not fool the lions and monkeys. Sometimes the animals heard the shutter click and came in closer to investigate, treating the reader to a shot of a hyena's nose or a group of curious lion cubs. The author hid the camera in strategic locations on the ground, so instead of seeing the subjects from above, it is like sitting down next to them. If you have ever wanted to be in the midst of a wildebeest migration or come face to face with a cheetah, this book has photos for you.

Call Me Wild

Originally published on 7/25/2013

Jessica James's life has taken a sharp turn for the worse. After losing her job as a sportswriter and her apt in New York City, she relocates to Boise to write a bestselling romance novel. Unfortunately, Jessie has never read a romance, doesn't believe in love and lacks any relatable personal experiences. While suffering from writer’s block she repeatedly runs into Fisher Kincaid, a local doctor, who offers himself up as test subject material for her book. The “research project” goes awry from the start due to the assistance of the hilarious Kincaid family (two brothers, one sister, and an entertaining grandfather) who "help" by meddling at every turn. Scheming by the younger sister puts Jessie and Fisher together for the weekend in an isolated cabin, where they are forced to acknowledge their mutual attraction. This working romance conveniently writes Jessie’s book for her as the fictional characters mirror the real life situation she has found herself in. Call Me Wild by Robin Kaye is an easy and enjoyable read that had me laughing out loud, over and over.

On the Outside

Originally published on 8/25/2013

Things are rough all over is the defining statement of S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders. A classic young adult novel, periodically challenged for violence, strong language, and family dysfunction, it is a short and fascinating read for both teens and adults. Required reading in my 5th grade English class, the story remains my all-time favorite book from school.

Ponyboy Curtis, his brothers, and their gang are known as Greasers - poor, rough, juvenile delinquents who commit crimes and wear too much hair gel. Their rivalry with the Socs (Socials, the gang of rich kids from the good side of town), simmers until one night when Ponyboy and his best friend Johnny are jumped at a neighborhood park. Johnny kills one of the attackers, forcing the two teens to leave town. Problems continue to multiply for Ponyboy, his family and his friends as violence escalates between the gangs.

This is a compelling story, easy to get sucked into, and worth reading. Or rereading. Despite being written over 40 years ago, The Outsiders continues to be popular.


-Elizabeth

Alex by Pierre Lemaitre

Originally published on 9/9/2013

I picked up Alex by Pierre Lemaitre on a whim, being between series. Originally published in French and winner of a 2013 Crime Writers Association award, Alex initially presents as a rather run-of-the-mill kidnap story. The main character has been taken; a reluctant detective is working the case. There is no ransom demand, no missing persons report, no concerned family, one mediocre witness. There are the usual questions about who she is, why she was taken, will she be rescued in time? Things are not looking good for our heroine, but we are confident everything will work out. It always does.

But after 150 pages the plot ceases to be routine and discards the usual formula altogether. The kidnap story is done. Lemaitre opens a new door for the reader, one you never expected to take. Who IS Alex?  I can't say more without releasing spoilers. Sorry, but you will thank me later. Alternating back and forth from different points of view Alex is a very dark and graphic thriller in three acts. The detectives lighten the mood as they battle administrators and bureaucracy. Varied in personalities and quirks, this is the team you would want searching for you.

Alex is also the first title in a the Commandant Camille Verhoeven trilogy, a series that I will now be snatching up.


-Elizabeth

Brilliance by Marcus Sakey

Originally published on 11/4/2013

The plan for Sunday...chores. Of course, reading is always on the "to do" list, but I told myself it was going to be minimal. One chapter over coffee, two chapters max. And then hours later, with breakfast dishes still on the counter I finished Brilliance by Marcus Sakey. So much for self-control. And productivity.

In Brilliance, one percent of the next generation of children are born with extraordinary emotional, spatial, musical, or mathematical gifts. These "brilliants" have the ability to improve society, but might just as easily decide to crash the stock market or hack military weapons systems. Naturally, the government steps in to manage the education of young brilliants with boarding schools and biometric devices. Activities by suspicious adult brilliants are monitored by the Department of Analysis and Response (DAR) in order to prevent acts damaging to the country. Nick Cooper is a brilliant and top agent of the DAR due to his ability in recognizing body language patterns. Cooper's job: to locate and apprehend the abnorms (brilliants gone bad). When intelligence chatter warns of an imminent threat on the financial markets Nick rushes to prevent it, but is unable to. In the aftermath, his search to find the terrorist responsible for the attack forces him to reexamine where his loyalties lie.

-Elizabeth

Pizza Dough by Gabi Moskowitz

Originally published on 12/8/2013

It's December and I know, you are making Christmas cookies. You have dough up to your ears (maybe in your ears) and your rolling pin has become an extension of your arm. But before you pack away the flour, browse through Pizza Dough: 100 Delicious, Unexpected Recipes by Gabi Moskowitz. The cover alone is enough to make my mouth water. There are breadsticks, pizza, pretzels, tartlets, and cinnamon rolls. Basically, it provides the opportunity and reasoning to eat bread for breakfast (Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread), lunch (Bean and Cheese Empanadas), dinner (Green Pizza), and dessert (Sopapillas).  One of my favorite parts of the book is Moskowitz's understanding of the Fear of Dough. I know I am not the only one who feels an inevitable sense of doom when faced with kneading. She reassures the reader by providing simple recipes and easy instructions, as well as tips for using store bought dough.

My first attempts were the Artichoke Pocket Squares and Apple-Onion Tartlets with Cheddar and...perfection was not achieved. There was no problem with the recipes, more that this chef needs some practice. It might be a good time to take a step back and try pretzels. Who knew pizza dough could be used for so many things?


-Elizabeth

Book Review: The Martian

Originally published on 3/3/2014

Mark Watney thinks Mars is trying to kill him. And he's probably right. First, there is his injury. The lack of supplies. The inability to communicate with Earth, to tell them that he is, in fact, alive. Andy Weir's debut novel The Martian is the story of an astronaut left behind.

During a terrible dust storm Mark is hit with debris and presumed dead; the rest of the Ares crew forced to leave while they still can. He wakes up and finds himself "in command" and the "King of Mars". He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants to do it. Day by day (sol by sol) Mark does his best MacGyver impression and while it is a technical story, his sarcastic sense of humor carries the reader through life threatening situations with style. Sure, he could OD on morphine right away, but he could also grow food, drive rovers around, and name mountains. Offhand comments on government overspending, the many uses of duct tape, and his downtime entertainment options contribute to a great scifi thriller. From the very first sentence, you will be rooting for Mark.

-Elizabeth

Book Review: The Wolf

Originally published on 8/25/2014 

In a typical good guy/bad guy situation, you hardly expect to find yourself rooting for the organized crime families of the world. In The Wolf by Lorenzo Carcaterra, it's organized crime vs. terrorists. Vincent Marelli, head of US operations and our "hero", is the leader of the organized crime council, a group of international crime bosses. When his wife and daughters are killed in an airplane hijacking, Marelli convenes a meeting of the council to declare war. While there is a personal stake in discovering the perpetrators behind his family's deaths, he is also convinced that the chaos of worldwide terrorism threatens the financial stability of the organized crime empire.

Back and forth go the bad guys and the really bad guys with hardly a single policeman or anti-terror official to be found. It is quite entertaining to see the vast amounts of information Marelli and his gang can dig up with their unlimited funds. There is certainly no red tape and the bureaucracy is of an entirely different nature. The Wolf is a quick and easy read, unique in that the author pits two criminal enterprises against each other. You don't have to care about law enforcement, governments, or regular people. Just embrace la famiglia.

-Elizabeth