Friday Linkups: Ex Libris

It's Friday Linkup time!  I'm linkup up with Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice.

This Week's Question:
If you could have dinner with your favorite character,who would it be?

My Answer:
Miss Marple without question.  Can you imagine the gossip!  Plus her observations about the people around us would be extremely entertaining.  She'd be the best person ever to people watch with!

My book this week is Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman.  This was a Christmas gift from my grandmother who is without a doubt the biggest influence on my reading. I talk about books with her more than probably anyone else. I can never resist books that are about books and this one is just pretty with it's simple cover.  I'm thoroughly enjoying it!

The Beginning (from the Preface):
"When the Irish novelist John McGahern was a child, his sisters unlaced and removed one of his shoes while he was reading.  He did not stir."

My thoughts:
I can definitely relate to this.  When I read I can shut out everything that's going on around me.  I'm not quite as good as this as I used to be (something about kids made this a little harder to do) but when I was a child I could read absolutely anywhere with no problem!

The 56:
Unfortunately - since George married me anyway and has retained his affection for both fish and Joseph Mitchell - my words were preserved for good."

My thoughts:
Since I haven't gotten to page 56 I have no idea what she's talking about other than it's book related.  I'm guessing either a misquote or an unfortunate opinion written in a book!

So what do you think?  Keep reading?  How do you feel about books about books?

Twisted Threads - Blog Tour Review

Twisted Threads by Lea Wait

Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Blog Tour
Description:  Angela Curtis left Harbor Haven, Maine as soon as she was handed her high school diploma.  Growing up in the shadow of her mother's disappearance not even her close relationship with her grandmother could make for a happy childhood.  But now Angela's mother has been found and it isn't the happy reunion she had hoped for.  Now with her own mother's murder to solve, her grandmother's needlepoint business to save and another murder that happened too close to home quiet little Harbor Haven isn't looking so peaceful.

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book: I can't resist family secrets and cozy mysteries!
My Impression:
Pro:  I love when main characters in cozies have a job that makes their murder investigating make some sense so I was thrilled that Angie had been a private investigator in Arizona.  It made her investigating make sense.  I loved Harbor Haven.  It's a pretty town filled with interesting people but it's also a town that's been hit hard by changes in the lobster industry and it's struggling to survive.  That was portrayed very well without over doing it.  There were really 2 different mysteries going on but it didn't feel overwhelming or chaotic.  The characters were interesting and even the ones I didn't like were believable.  The pacing was good and even though I figured out the why before the book was through there were still plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested.

Con:  For the most part I loved this book but I did find Angie's interactions with Officer Pete Lambert a little strange.  I liked that she took the time to deal with her pistol carry permit but then her calling and dealing with him over her mother's murder in a vaguely flirtatious way didn't seem to fit her character.

Overall:  I really enjoyed this mystery but I'm even more excited to see where the series goes.  There's a lot of potential for some great mysteries and I look forward to visiting Harbor Haven and the Mainely Needlepointers soon!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely!  The 2nd book is already on my GoodReads wishlist!

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Definitely!

Challenges Met?  New to Me (author), Road Trip (Maine), Alphabet Soup (T)

I'll Have What She's Having - Review

I'll Have What She's Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting by Rebecca Harrington

Rating: 3 Stars
Source: NetGalley
Description:  Rebecca Harrington is a dieter enthusiast.  She's never met a diet she didn't like or didn't want to try.  It started with President Taft's diet and quickly turned into a project involving the diets of celebrities like Gwenyth Paltrow, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Jackie Kennedy.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  I loved Jennifer, Gwyneth and Me by Rachel Bertsche and the concept sounded similar.  Plus I was curious to find out about what Marilyn Monroe ate.


My Impression:
Pro:  I got a good feel for what resource materials she used and what foods she actually ate.  She talked about the attitude each celebrity approached their diets which was kind of fun as well as the costs associated with each diet.  The short chapters would make for good reading while traveling or a good pick up book when you just want to read a few pages.

Con:  This book read like a collection of articles stuck together.  To me it almost felt like the book proposal instead of the actual book.  She was giving a quick overview of what she was planning on doing but the actual chapters didn't feel fleshed out.  I didn't really connect with Rebecca with her constant dinner parties and worrying about losing friends.

Overall:  This wasn't a bad book but it wasn't a particularly good book either.  While the concept is great the execution fell more than a bit flat for me.  I don't have a huge list of pros or cons for this one because there wasn't much of either.  It was a quick read but nothing that really grabbed me or will stick with me.  If you're looking for a humorous a day in the life of a celebrity type book try Rachel Bertsche's Jennifer, Gwyneth and Me.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Probably not another book though I may read her in column form.

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Not really.  I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record but  if this concept appeals to you I'd try Jennifer, Gwyneth and Me.

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten New to Me Authors in 2015

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and the Bookish is my Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels for 2015.  However, after thinking and thinking and countless Google searches this list featured approximately 2 books.  So we're doing a little modifying today.  The topic my list is actually going to before is Top Ten Authors that will be debuting to ME in 2015.  These are authors that for
some reason I never read but will be reading this year!

1.  Stephen King - When I was in 3rd grade I went to a slumber party and for some reason the movie that had been chosen was Pet Sematary.  This was right after it had gone to video so we weren't the 3rd graders of today who would probably find it laughable.  I had nightmares - for years!  It put me off Stephen King for awhile and only a really fantastic theatrical production of Misery had me reconsidering him. I'm thinking A Good Marriage will be a great place to start.

2.  Neil Gaiman - While I've heard of him the closest I've gotten to reading him is watching the Doctor Who episodes he's written.  I'm not sure where to start with him.  Coraline maybe?  I'll have to do some research.

3.  Diane Chamberlain - Some of my favorite bloggers were raving about The Silent Sister in recent months so that's high up on my list but Chamberlain has a pretty substantial backlist worth checking out!

4.  Sarah Addison Allen - While I know she's a favorite of many it's the covers that tempt me!  They're just lovely.  If the books are half as good as the covers I think I'll enjoy them.  I'm planning on starting with Garden Spells.

5.  Robyn Carr - This is another favorite of many of my favorite bloggers and this is the year that it's time to visit one of her worlds.  The very generous Kristin from Always with a Book actually sent me the first 2 from Carr's Thunder Point series and I'm really excited to read them.  I'll be starting Carr's books with The Wanderer.

6.  Marissa Meyer - I don't know what it is about this series but I'm really excited to get started reading it.  Obviously, I'll be starting with Cinder.

7.  Maeve Binchey - This is an author that has been on my radar for a long time but for some reason I've never read anything by.  I'm planning on reading the copy of A Week in Winter that's been gathering dust on my bookshelf for far too long.

8.  Tana French - This is an author I hadn't heard of until recently and when I started reading the reviews my first thought was "Why haven't I been reading her books??"  I'll be reading In the Woods hopefully very soon.

9.  Stephanie Perkins - Pretty much everyone on earth but me has read Anna and the French Kiss.  Next time I'm in the mood for a bright and breezy book this one is up.

10. Rick Riordan - We own every Riordan book that has been published.  How many have I read?  Absolutely none of them.  I'm looking forward to reading The Lighting Thief this year.

So there's my list of authors that will be debuting either on my Kindle or from my TBR shelf this year.  Any authors you're hoping to get to?  Any debut novels you're excited about this year?

Meet Your Baker - Blog Tour Review

Welcome to my blog tour stop for Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander. This is a cozy mystery that released December 30th.

Be sure to check out the schedule for the list of reviews, interviews and guest posts by the author! The tour starts January 5th and runs through the 16th.

About MEET YOUR BAKER:

Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it’s criminal…

After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte’s customers turns up dead, there’s much ado about murder…



"Sure to satisfy both dedicated foodies and ardent mystery lovers alike."

―Jessie Crockett, author of Drizzled with Death

The victim is Nancy Hudson, the festival’s newest board member. A modern-day Lady Macbeth, Nancy has given more than a few actors and artists enough reasons to kill her…but still. The silver lining? Jules’s high school sweetheart, Thomas, is the investigator on the case. His flirtations are as delicious as ever, and Jules can’t help but want to have her cake and eat it too. But will she have her just desserts? Murder might be bad for business, but love is the sweetest treat of all…

"Alexander weaves a tasty tale of deceit, family ties, delicious pastries, and murder.” ―Edith Maxwell, author of A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die　

My Review: 

Pros: There was so much I really enjoyed about this book that I don't know where to start! The setting, Ashland, Oregon, is so well drawn and such fun! I loved that not only did we get to see the excitement of the theater world where the stage actors and directors were stars but we saw the negatives too. Not all the businesses were raking in money hand over fist and even the theater itself had financial worries. It added a nice authentic feel to the book. I liked Jules and her Mom right away. They had a good relationship and came across as truly nice people but they also had their worries which they tried to keep from each other. The food and coffee is almost a character in itself. The descriptions are so vivid and fleshed out that I find myself seriously wanting pastries or one of the coffee drinks. Jules reasons for being involved in the investigation make sense and she and her old friend Thomas, now a deputy, work well together. The mystery itself was well done and kept me guessing. It's not unusual for me to figure out the killer and the motive within the first third of a book but that wasn't the case with this one. The plot kept me guessing and the characters kept me interested.
Cons: Richard Lord, Jules' nemesis, is made a little too evil to be true. There is a touch of incompetence which helps keep him from turning into a super villain but he's still a bit over the top. Also, there's a lot about the day to day operations of the bakery and food preparation in general. This wasn't a negative to me as I really enjoyed it but if you're not interested in food I can see it being a little tedious.
 Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This was one of the best cozies I've read in awhile with a developed setting, interesting characters and a well plotted and well paced mystery. I'm really looking forward to the 2nd in the series!

  Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | Book Depository | Kobo

About the Author:

Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.

Links: 

Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway:

2 winners will get a paperback copy of Meet Your Baker, Chai Tea, designer baking liners and a Starbucks gift card.

Open to US addresses only.
Ends Jan. 21, 2015

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

The Week in Reading - January 4

I'm linking up with Kimberly at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer for the Sunday Post where it's time to talk about what we got, what we read and everything else!

What I Got:

Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman - This has been on my wishlist for ages so I was excited to get this for Christmas.  It's such a pretty little book!  I can't wait to get reading! (Gift)

Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten - I love the Barefoot Contessa.  Her recipes aren't the simplest but they're so reliably good.  Plus, I'm all for making things ahead. (Gift)

Fairy Homes and Gardens by Barbara Purchia and E. Ashley Rooney - I had this book in PDF form from NetGalley and it just screamed to be paged through in print form.  (Gift)

The Perfect Homecoming by Julia London - I really enjoyed the previous one in the series so I'm excited to see where the series goes (NetGalley)

Serbian Cooking by Danijela Kracun and Charles McFadden - I know nothing about Serbian cuisine so I'm madly curious.  (NetGalley)

Relish by Lucy Knisley - This one is Trish's fault.  We had similar feelings about Knisley's first book but she loved this one and I've been wanting to give graphic novels another try.  (Library)

Nora Webster by Colm Toibin - I've been wanting to read this for ages so I was so excited when the very kind Tina from Novel Meals offered to send me her copy.  I'm really looking forward to reading this one!  (Gift)

Currently:

Reading: Twisted Threads by Lea Wait for a blog tour later this week and I'm finally actually starting Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie after meaning to start it for a few weeks.  It's a reread for me but it's one I never remember much about but always enjoy.

Listening:  Food by Jim Gaffigan.  I'm about halfway done and so far enjoying it.  It's really funny!

Watching:  I've started watching Crossing Jordan on Netflix.  I watched it a few years ago in reruns but never watched it in order or anything.  I like the whole medical examiner thing but there's a little too much angst for me.  Other than that not a huge amount.  We watched football (which made me sad) and The Librarians (which made me happy) but not much else.

Off the Blog:

Whew!  I feel like I can breathe again with all the holiday madness over.  The Tornado's birthday was this week.  He turned 5!  How can my baby be 5???  I'm still having trouble getting used to that whole concept.

 For New Year's Eve we went to Chuck E. Cheese which sounds crazy but if you have small children it's really perfect.  The crowd is minimal, the kids are entertained and they run out a lot of energy so when you get home they just about pass out.  We started this when the older kids were in elementary school and it's great.  They could go run off and play games and J and I could sit and have a conversation.  The Tornado's not quite old enough to go off on his own but we had fun playing the games with him.  I ended up with a Chuck E. Cheese throwing injury but we cleaned up on tickets!  

We had a grey and rainy New Year's but I stayed home and got caught up on laundry, organized my pantry and did a few little projects I've been meaning to do for awhile.   Not very exciting sounding but I was able to listen to my audiobook the whole time and it feels good not to be drowning in tasks that need to be done.  It's been awhile!   

I thought I had signed up for all the challenges I was going to sign up for but I couldn't resist the Historical Romance Challenge and the New to You Reading Challenge hosted by Anna at Herding Cats and Burning Soup.  She's really a terrible influence!  I'm going for level 2 (12 books) in Historical Romance and level 3 (24 books) in New to You.  

On the Blog:

What Happened this Past Week:

Monday: On the Fifth Day of Christmas I recommend 5 Cozies
Tuesday: My Top Ten Resolutions
Wednesday: Living Well Spending Less - Review
Thursday: First Book of the Year
Friday: Linkups featuring Charlie and the Chocolate Factory excerpts
Saturday: Cook It Up Challenge - December Edition

What's Coming Up:

Monday: Meet Your Baker - Blog Tour Review

Tuesday: My take on Top Ten Debut Novels

Wednesday: I'll Have What She's Having - Review

Thursday: Twisted Threads - Blog Tour Review

Friday: Linkups with whatever book I'm reading

Saturday: Home For Dinner - Review

Happy Reading!

Cook It Up! Cookbook Challenge - December Edition

Today I'm linking up with Cook It Up!  A Cookbook Challenge hosted by Trish at Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity and Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth F at Beth Fish Reads.

So I kind of failed this month.  I had a cookbook all ready to go.  One pulled from the very depths of the pantry that was dusty from not being used in years.  But despite my best intentions it didn't end up getting used.  Between the various family gatherings, the cold that wouldn't die and just being pulled in about 15 directions I didn't really end up doing much regular cooking except for the actual holiday cooking.

Then it hit me!  I may not have done all that much cooking from recipes except for one thing - Chex Mix.  I made Chex Mix until I had dreams about making it.  I'm not exactly sure what it is about Chex Mix but I don't think anyone passed the bowl without taking a handful of it.  My family has always adored the stuff but I've always hated making it because I always ended up burning it and it took forever.  Until I bought Christy Jordan's book Southern Plate.  She originally started out with a blog of the same name and published her 2nd cookbook last year.  They're all family friendly and user friendly recipes but her recipe for Microwave Chex Mix is kind of life changing.  Seriously.  Here's the recipe: Microwave Chex Mix.  Instead of peanuts I do 9 cups of cereal and pretzels but that's about the only change.  Also, make sure you use a big bowl for the microwaving or it can get messy with all the stirring.  I make and serve it in the same bowl and it essentially takes 8 minutes from start to finish and almost 7 of those are just microwaving stuff.

And while you're at Southern Plate check out the Chicken Planks, Comeback Sauce, Jordan Rolls, Pizza Rolls and just about everything else.  Judging by the state of my cookbook and it's tatters and stains it's one of my most used books and one that I turn to when in need of a little inspiration or just a good meal!