Month: May 2020

All that needs to be said: Remain Silent A Manon Bradshaw Novel by Susie Steiner

Remain Silent is the third book in Susie Steiner’s Manon Bradshaw mystery series.  I very much enjoyed this author’s first two novles in the series and was eager to read this one as well.

Remain Silent is, in some ways, a very tough read.  It is the second book that I have finished recently that has a theme centering on the plight of illegal immigrants.  Ms. Steiner portrays what happens to these characters including Matis, Lukas and  others, with such brutal reality that it was painful to read.  The message is an important one however and something that needs to be considered.

Manon herself can be acerbic, funny and a woman who makes many pithy parenthetical statements.  In this book, Manon is overwhelmed with challenges.  She has a young son, a teenaged son and a partner, Mark, who is in the hospital.   Manon’s lament on how she wishes that she had been treating Mark better will strike a chord with anyone who has faced challenges in a relationship.

Around all of this, of course, there is a mystery.  The murder is that of one of the immigrants and Manon is tasked with solving the case.  Readers who have read the series will welcome back characters on her team including Davy.

SPOILER:

The afterword by the author reveals some of what she, herself, has been experiencing and this, too, has been quite sad and difficult.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in an excellent series in exchange for an honest review.  I hope that Ms. Steiner will continue writing.  She is a talented and clear eyed author.

Pub Date

Try something new: My Lebanese Cookbook 80+ Family Favorites Made Simple by Tarik Fallous

I have been busy traveling the world via cookbooks.  It has been a great adventure as, in reality, I am stuck at home. 

This title includes more than 80 recipes that are of Lebanese origin.  The book includes recipes for breakfast, mezzes, salads, fish and shellfish dishes, meat and poultry recipes, side and vegetable dishes and breads and desserts.  There is also an instructional chapter called basics and sections including a glossary, resources and menus for entertaining.  Just a few of the recipes that I would like to try include fatet hummus/savory chickpea bread pudding, fried kibbe stuffed with spiced beef and pine nuts, yogurt cucumber salad, fish with spicy tahini, baked kafta casserole, and zucchini and chickpea stew.  After all that I would like to have Lebanese bread pudding or a spiced rice pudding.  Yum.

In my opinion these recipes are not for absolute beginners but they are intriguing and worth the effort I expect.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#MyLebaneseCookbook #NetGalley

From the  publisher:

Sample recipe: Baked Omelet with Parsley (Ejjeht el-Ba’adounis)

This Lebanese omelet is cooked is filled with fresh parsley and is served flat rather than folded.

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, onion, flour, salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

3. Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.

4. Pour in the egg mixture, and immediately transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the omelet has puffed up and set, for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve immediately.

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Ingredients:

  • 8 eggs
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • Pinch ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup olive oil

Now out: The Secrets of Love Story Bridge A Novel by Phaedra Patrick

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge is a warm-hearted tale of flawed yet hopeful individuals who find one another and move forward in their lives. The main character is Mitchell; he is a man with many regrets for how he lived his life with his partner Anita. Now he is finding it difficult to move ahead without her. A workaholic, Mitchell was often missing out on day to day life with Anita and their daughter, Poppy.

As the novel opens, Mitchell and nine-year-old Poppy form a tight (but somewhat rigid) twosome as Mitchell tries to control for all eventualities. Mitchell tries to maintain his connection to Anita by writing letters that she will never read. He cannot get himself to read the last letter that Anita wrote to him. Full of guilt, will Mitchell ever forgive himself?

Mitchell lives in Upchester, a town of many bridges. One day he sees someone leave a love locket on the bridge and then go overboard. He rescues this unknown young woman and this starts a period of change in his life. Who went over? What happened to her? How will the private Mitchell cope with the ensuing publicity?

Mitchell was late to pick up Poppy on the bridge day so she was with a teacher, Liza. The story of Liza and Mitchell will be the romance that you root for. Readers will also learn about the connections between the woman on the bridge and the other characters in the novel.

This is a story of quirky characters who want what most of us want-a sense of connection and hope for the future. In that sense, bridges that connect two places, form the perfect analogy for the novel. During our current difficult times, this is a sweet book and may help readers to take a break from their worries.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#TheSecretsofLoveStoryBridge #NetGalley

#TheSecretsofLoveStoryBridge #NetGalley

A legend begins: No Ordinary Boy (Book 1, The Legends of King Arthur: Merlin, Magic, and Dragons)

Publisher Sweet Cherry issues titles that are retellings, of well-known stories for elementary school aged readers. This entry introduces the tale of Merlin and is the first in what appears to be a series. I found this book to be engaging with a level of suspense that is geared toward its young audience.The book contains short illustrated chapters.

Readers will learn about Merlin’s parentage and why the King summons him. By the end of this story readers know that Merlin and Arthur’s lives will be intertwined. I look forward to the next entry in this series.

As an adult, this book inspires me to go back to one of my favoritefavorites, The Once and Future King and to a second wonderful series about Merlin by Mary Stewart. Hopefully some young readers will be equally inspired.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date

#kidsArthur #NetGalley

For those who stitch: Jane Austen Embroidery Regency Patterns Reimagined for Modern Stitchers by Jennie Batchelor, Alison Larkin

I am currently deeply immersed in a Jane Austen phase.  I recently reviewed reread Emma, finished The Other Bennet Sister and am currently deeply immersed in The Jane Austen Society (a new novel) which I will review soon.  It comes out later this month.  So, I was delighted to be approved by NetGalley and the publisher for this title which was full of information on Regency era women and their craft.

While I don’t anticipate doing my own embroidery, I was impressed by the scope and detail of what was covered in this nicely illustrated book.  I recommend it to those of you who would like to start a project (there are fifteen here) or just learn more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#JaneAustenEmbroidery #NetGalley

I am so excited: Buzz Books 2020: Fall/Winter by Publishers Lunch

I am always excited when a new edition of Buzz Books is released.  I love seeing what books I will have to look forward to over the coming months.  This edition provides a look at many of the titles that will be released this fall including those by Ken Follet, Marilynne Robinson, Phile Klay, Fredrick Backman,  Elena Ferrante, Nick Hornby and Sue Miller among others.  In addition to listings of titles by well known authors, there is a section on debut authors. Further, there are books that I will love reading for fun listed including new titles by Caz Frear, Robert Galbraith, Anthony Horowitz, Jodi Picoult, Alexander McCall Smith and more. There are also excerpts from some forthcoming titles.

While I read more fiction than non, this Buzz Books also lists many non-fiction titles.  They feature everyone from Michael J. Fox to Elijah Cummins to Megan Rapinoe and more. The non-fiction listings are organized by topic as for example politics, Social Issues, Science and Technology, Biography and more.

Take a look at this title and start to dream about your next reads.

Many thanks to  NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Now out: The World Eats Here Amazing Food and the Inspiring People Who Make It at New York’s Queens Night Market by John Wang; Storm Garner

Imagine that you live in one of the world’s most populous cities. Imagine that not only are there lots of people but that there are lots of foods. Imagine that you would like to taste some of them. Well, if you are in New York City’s Borough of Queens, this is something that you can not only imagine but experience. For everyone else, enjoy this virtual trip and its wonderful food culture and recipes.
Just some of the places that are the origins for the food at the market are Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Peru, Argentina, South Africa, India,South Korea, Indonesia, Russia and Ukraine. Enjoy recipes for a pastrami sandwich, Salvadoran chicken tamales, Peruvian Ceviche, Guyanese Beef Patties, Trinidadian Callaloo, Almond Biscotti, Ukrainian Blintzes with Creamy Mushrooms , Pakistani Tandoori Chicken Kati, Beef Momos with Hot Sauce and many more.
Illustrated with many photographs as well as drawings this is a visually appealing cookbook that also includes stories about many of the cooks. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this amazing food journey. All opinions are my own.

#TheWorldEatsHere #NetGalley