Getting Cozy! Two Reviews: “Hiss and Hers” (Agatha Raisin) by MC Beaton and “The Twelve Clues of Christmas” (Royal Spyness) by Rhys Bowen

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As you all know, I love my cozy mysteries! I recently read two new ones: one which I got at my library and one which I received from my husband for Christmas.

“Hiss and Hers” is the latest Agatha Raisin mystery. I just love cranky yet vulnerable Agatha! In this installment, Agatha, along with half the village, has a mad crush on the local gardener. Sadly he turns up murdered. Agatha is determined to figure out who killed him, but as she investigates she learns that just about every but her had been sleeping with the victim. There is no shortage of suspects, along with a couple of subplots as well. While I do love these Agatha mysteries, this one had me a bit befuddled in its quick wrap up and in the number of people I was trying to keep track of, though I had guessed the murderer early on. The “hiss” refers to the murder “weapon” – poisonous snakes.

For Christmas I received “The Twelve Clues of Christmas”- the latest Royal Spyness mystery. I do so love reading historical cozy mysteries (this one is in the early 1930’s in England). Georgie Rannoch, our heroine, has just the right amount of spunk, intelligence, and awkwardness to make her likable. For this story, Georgie is staying at a manor house and serving as a hostess during their “Aunthentic English Christmas” event. Unfortunately, locals start turning up dead on a regular basis. Georgie joins forces with the dashing Darcy to uncover just what is happening in this sleepy little town. One thing I loved about this book is that Georgie and Darcy’s relationship is finally progressing – yeah! I thought this novel was cleverly plotted – though perhaps a bit far-fetched. It was an enjoyable read. And can I just say how much I love the character of her maid, Queenie?

2012 is not over yet! Review of “The Secret Keeper” by Kate Morton

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Several weeks ago I was ordering everyone books from Amazon for Christmas and I saw this title under recommendations. It looked so intriguing that I bought it for myself for Christmas! “The Secret Keeper” starts with British teenager Laurel hiding from her younger sisters in her treehouse, when a stranger comes to their home and she witnesses her mother stab the man to death. The police rule that the homicide was self-defense, and the man is thought to be a local criminal, and so Laurel moves on and seems to forget that day.

Fifty years later, Laurel’s mother, Dorothy, is turning eighty, and close to death. She begins to tell Laurel that she has some regrets and that all is not as it seems. However, Dorothy is losing her faculties as well, and Laurel can’t get the whole story from her, so she seeks to solve the mystery herself. Just who was the man her mother killed that day, and why did he seem to know her mother? Added to these questions are some items Laurel finds hidden away: a book with an inscription, a thank you note, a picture of her mother and her friend Vivien, a small doll and an old fur coat. Will she figure out the past before Dorothy passes on?

This story is told in various voices: Laurel as a teen, Laurel in the present, Dorothy as a young girl, Dorothy as a young adult, Vivien as a child, Vivien as a young adult, etc. We move from the present to the fifties in England, to London during the Blitz, to Australia pre-WWII. I loved this style and the way the story unfolded slowly and step by step. I did not guess the ending, but once it was revealed I saw that all the clues were right before me the whole time. I really enjoyed Morton’s writing style and will look for other books by her.

Recommended for those lovers of historical fiction – WWII era – with a dash of mystery and romance thrown in. Definitely one of my fave reads of the year!

I’m excited to review: “The Good Life for Less” by Amy Allen Clark with Jana Murphy- in stores 1/2/13

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I usually try to keep these posts short and to the point: what did I read, what is it about, and did I like it? I figured most folks are pressed for time and are looking for an opinion or a book suggestion. However – today I just MUST take more time and get chatty and talk about my dear friend Amy Clark’s new book: “The Good Life for Less – Giving your Family Great Meals, Good Times, and a Happy Home on a Budget”. Amy sent me a copy hot off the press so I could review it, and she wrote the most touching note to me on the inside – I will cherish it along with my memories of our friendship!

First some back story (if you aren’t interested in our back story, please skip this paragraph). I met Amy through community theater over ten years ago, here in Massachusetts. Amy, originally from Indiana, was a young newlywed and she and I hit it off right away. We had a lot of shared interests and had similar personalities, and we enjoyed our “girlfriend moments” together. I was going through a period in my life when I really needed a good friend and I had recently moved to a condo which just happened to be right across the street from Amy and her husband Ryan, so we saw a lot of each other and they were definitely there for me when I needed support. Amy became pregnant, which was very exciting, and I knew she looked forward to being home with their baby. Then one day Amy called me to say that Ryan had been laid off unexpectedly from his job. This was a huge blow and understandably threw them into financial crisis. Amy was pregnant and working to try to support them and worrying about the baby coming. I was dealing with my own personal crisis and trying to be a good friend to them. I remember one specific day I took Amy out to lunch and we talked about how sometimes you think you know God’s plan for you, but apparently he had something in mind for both of us that we were still discovering! In time Amy and Ryan moved back to Indiana where Ryan was offered a new job. Of course I missed her terribly but we stayed in touch and one day Amy told me she had started a “blog” for at home moms, using her experiences, focusing on budgeting, house ideas, and recipes. I had no idea what a blog was. I remember saying, “You mean a listserve or a “web log”?” (People – this was a long time ago!). She asked me to sign up for it and I was proud to be number 12 on the roster. Little did I know that this was the beginning of big times for Amy! Her site – “Mom Advice” www.momadvice.com – became huge and she has become a major blogging force. She is a spokesperson for several companies (places you’ve heard of – like Wal-Mart!) and her happy face often appears in the women’s magazines I read. Now, she has her first book, which compiles a lot of her advice from her website. I was thrilled to be able to read and post about it here on my blog (my web log – just kidding!).

At just over 200 pages, “The Good Life for Less” is not too long and gets right to the point. The chapters include making a budget, the frugal kitchen, recipes, holiday/special occasion ideas, and keeping your house clean and organized (when my nine-year-old saw that chapter she said, “hey, now there’s something we need!”). Amy shares her experience, her opinions, and her resources throughout, from how to establish and keep to a budget to her recipe for pumpkin waffles to how to make times special without blowing your bank account. This book is written in Amy’s voice and I felt like I could hear her talking to me throughout — with that touch of a midwestern twang to it! The book also has short inserts of the best tips or specific ideas that are highlighted. All in all, this was a great read and a good resource to have on hand.  This is the type of book I wish I had when I was in my twenties. It’s a great gift for a newlywed and/or young parent, too. I look forward to Amy’s next book (there is a next one, right, Amy?)

Review: “Mistress to the Crown” by Isolde Martyn

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Another Net Galley find — “Mistress to the Crown” is the story of King Edward the IV’s mistress, Elizabeth Lambard, in the 1400’s.

Elizabeth starts off as the lonely and very young wife of an impotent shop owner in London. She works to procure her divorce from him and falls in love with Lord Hastings. Hastings, though, relinquishes her to King Edward and Elizabeth enjoys several years (until his death) as his beloved mistress. She’s a smart girl, though, and works to build a business of silk women, saves money, and purchases property. When Edward dies, Elizabeth (known as “Mistress Jane Shore”) runs the risk of being imprisoned and blamed for his death.

I always love reading about old England and the intricacies and shenanigans of court life. How anyone lived a long life in those days, while being at court and part of a king or queen’s retinue, and kept their heads – well, it’s beyond me. Elizabeth is a likable and intelligent character and is a strong role model in terms of her striving for independence. The “adult situations” in this book were peppered throughout (she was the king’s mistress after all!), but not overly explicit. I’d recommend this book to those who like historical fiction of the royal genre. I enjoyed Martyn’s writing and will look for her other works.

Not sure if this book will be available in the US or only in Australia in 2013 — ? If another reader knows, please post in comments. Thanks for my copy, Net Galley and Harlequin MIRA!

Quick Review: A Miracle Under the Christmas Tree by Jennifer Basye Sander

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Another Net Galley find, this collection of true short stories focuses on the meaning of Christmas. Some of these stories were quite touching and inspiring. Some were better written than others. Each could be read in a short space of time. It was the perfect “quick read before I nod off” choice for this time of year!

Thanks, Net Galley and Harlequin Non-fiction, for my copy!

My 2012 Favorites – Updated!

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Each holiday season, friends ask me to suggest books for gifts. Of the books I read this year, I would suggest the following as ones I really, REALLY enjoyed:

Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara (my review: https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/review-cascade-by-maryanne-ohara/ )

I can’t say enough about how much I loved this story and could not put it down!

The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier (my review: https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/review-the-unfinished-work-of-elizabeth-d-by-nichole-bernier/ )

Another great work of fiction that stayed with me and kept me thinking about the characters and storyline.

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt – A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston (my review: https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/review-the-scrapbook-of-frankie-pratt-a-novel-in-pictures-by-caroline-preston-5/ ) 

I just loved this unique story idea and beautiful visuals!

I have two biographies I’m reading now that I’m really enjoying (that I got on Amazon and at Orchard House) –

The Lives of Margaret Fuller: A Biography by John Matteson

Marmee and Louisa: the Untold Story of Louisa May Alcott and her Mother by Eve La Plante

Wish I could say I had a serious mystery or historical mystery I found uber-compelling, but nothing comes to mind. I have purchased my husband the latest Ken Follett book though, and will undoubtedly read it. I’ll have to think more about my cozies…

I also have to think more about historical fiction…

UPDATE: While I read this book in 2011 as a pre-release, it came out in January and I highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction, WWII genre: “The Baker’s Daughter” by Sarah McCoy – Review here: https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/review-the-bakers-daughter-by-sarah-mccoy-coming-out-in-january/

As for YA, the most wonderful YA book I read this year isn’t out yet for you regular folks. It’s my friend Cal Armistead’s “Being Henry David”. But you can pre-order it on Amazon! Here’s my review: https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/ya-review-being-henry-david-by-cal-armistead-releasing-march-2013/

What’s on your giving list this year?

Quick Review: “Masked Ball at Broxley Manor” by Rhys Bowen

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Lady Georgiana is at it again, in this prequel to one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series! Georgie is invited to a masked Halloween ball at a posh manor house and discovers it is planned for her to meet an intended suitor that her family has selected. Instead she meets the elusive and charming Darcy O’Mara, Georgie’s love interest in future books, and gets involved in adventure.

This book – more of a novella – is short — about 50 pages! It reads quickly and will give you an idea if you want to read more of the series. If you are like me and have read the series, it provides more back story and character development.
I got mine via kindle for $2.99.

Reviews of Three Diet Books…

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If you know me, you know I have this small obsession with diet books. I love to read them and contemplate them and compare and analyze them.

What I don’t like to do is follow them.

So – for today I have a quick overview of three diet books that I’ve read through Net Galley. I have not followed their plans. My goal here is to give you some information on these books so you can decide if you want to read them yourselves.

The first book I read was “The S factor Diet” subtitled “the happiest way to lost weight” by Lowri Turner.  The “S” in the title refers to serotonin. The premise behind this book is that chemical imbalances lead to weight gain and/or inability to lose weight. I liked the premise of this book as it seems logical scientifically. I also really liked how the author doesn’t push supplements but gives various  venues to find these needed chemicals naturally through foods. According to the checklist provided, I need more serotonin and less cortisol in my system. Sounds reasonable to me.However, at the same time, I can’t find any credentials on Ms. Turner. There is no little list of letters after her name suggesting she is a nutritionist/dietician/doctor/etc. Perhaps I missed something?

This book releases in January and is not available for pre-order (that I could find) on Amazon.

The next book I read was “The Zen Diet Revolution” by Faulks, Faulks, and Faulks (one listed as “Dr”),  which focuses on the importance of meditation and in making small changes in order to exact big differences. While I love this premise in principal, I’m not sure it would work for me. My body tends to hit a saturation point where I can no longer make incremental changes (think: marathon training). I would love to believe, though, that I could slowly adjust to eating about 1200 calories a day – over time – and be at peace with that.

This book also releases in January.

Lastly I read “The Virgin Diet”. At first I thought, “Um, may be too late for this one.” However, this book was written by nutrition expert JJ Virgin. She espouses that many people have food intolerances and these are making people’s bodies inflamed and unhealthy and unable to lose weight. As a person with food allergies, this book really spoke to me. It makes sense that if your body is reacting to the things you put in it, you won’t be healthy. Virgin proposes that you cut out the seven most common allergens: gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, peanuts, corn,and eggs for a period of time (3 weeks) to calm your system, then slowly add them back in to see if you can tolerate them. Her byline is: drop 7 foods, lose 7 pounds, in just 7 days! For me, this was a bit drastic. I will say, though, that I cut way back on dairy (specifically milk and cheese and yogurt) and found that my stomach felt much better – so perhaps she’s on to something!


Have you read any good diet/nutrition books lately? If so, let me know!

Thanks, Net Galley, for my copies!

YA Review: The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab

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Yes – it’s another YA thriller read about wealthy prep school kids – one of my favorite genres for a quick, downtime, finish-in-one-sitting read. In this story, which I got through Net Galley, high school senior Sera is forced (by her parents) to go to her ex-best friend Ariel’s birthday party. The only thing she’s really looking forward to is seeing current pop idol Hudson Winters perform. However, right at the height of the party, masked men break in and start killing everyone, holding the majority of the teens hostage, while they seek to take over Ariel’s dad’s multi-billion dollar company. In the initial chaos, Ariel slips unnoticed into a secret passageway in the walls and plans on staying there until the crisis is over. Only Sera knows where she is (she is her ex-best friend after all!). Will Sera rat her out in order to save her own life? Will everyone continue to be brutally murdered as this book goes on? Will we figure out who is behind this violent atrocity? Read it to find out! Due to violent/disturbing scenes, I have to say not for the younger set. Kudos to Ms. Benedis-Grab for making some of the “prep school” kids not ridiculously rich and all of them fairly typical!
Thanks, Net Galley and Merit Press, for my copy!

Quick Review: “Princess Elizabeth’s Spy” by Susan Elia MacNeal

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I grabbed this novel from Net Galley as it seemed like the type of historical cozy mystery I would like: it’s the early 1940’s, and Maggie Hope, young British spy and former secretary to Mr. Churchill, takes on a mission as math tutor to Princess Elizabeth (today’s QEII) in order to keep an eye on things at Windsor Castle. Maggie has no shortage of folks that seem suspicious, and she starts to have feelings for a few of the men she comes to know. There is plenty of back story here as this is the second novel in a series. Maggie struggles in her spy training. She is looked down on for being a woman. She has a fiance who is missing in action. She has a complicated relationship with her father (whom she always thought was dead). She questions her mother’s death in an accident. There’s even more going on in these books that I won’t go into — but I really enjoyed the period, the details, the plotline, and the fast-paced writing. It kept me reading until the end (which I had figured out in advance, but oh well!). They reminded me of Rhys Bowen’s “Her Royal Spyness” series.

Thanks, Net Galley and Bantam Press for my copy!