pickI just finished this latest edition of the Bruno, Chief of Police series by Martin Walker. I highly recommend them all. Set in the Dordogne region in France, each book is full of interesting people, delicious sounding food and wine, and a bit of history along with mystery. I‘ve come to know and love the residents of the fictional town of St. Denis. I‘ll bet you will, too.
pickI keep getting hooked on books in series. A couple of years ago I re-read Chocolat by Joanne Harris and discovered she had sequels. I just began her latest book about Vianne Rocher, THE STRAWBERRY THIEF, and I‘m loving it. I have also enjoyed some of her other books that are not part of the Chocolat series. In this photo are the books by Joanne Harris that I have read and recommend. The top row are the Chocolat series.
Delighting in this birthday gift from a dear friend who understood how saddened I was by the death of Mary Oliver.
I got these in the mail today—yay! (Neither title is in the database yet, so I used “Waiting to be Read” as my lead in.) I‘m not sure which of these I will read first.
pickOh my, so many choices—book club pick, Christmas gift, just for fun....I just started A Tale for the Time Being and I am enthralled! I‘m just sorry that I am reading a friend‘s copy so I can‘t underline or highlight passages. I may have to buy my own.
"They glitter whitely in his mind, like structures made of salt, before a tidal wave comes and sweeps them away."
This quote comes very early in the book. It sums up Beryl's life perfectly. She can't be truly happy until she meets the world on her own terms. This was a book I savored. The writing and the tale are both remarkable.
pickI just received my copy and I am in ❤️ love! Lovely poems and wonderful illustrations!
pickHappy World Poetry Day! Here are a few from my poetry shelf.
"Men tell stories," I say. It is the truest, simplest answer to his question. "Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over."
You might pick this up thinking it will be just another police procedural. You would be wrong. This book is so much more. It is also a heartbreaking history lesson about the genocide of Bosnian Muslims in the 1990s. The prose is beautiful and the story engaging. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
I chose this book because I liked the cover. I'm recommending it because I found it so satisfying.
pickChristmas Eve and I'm the last one still up. Time for a peppermint mocha coffee and a bit of reading before bedtime.
pickI love all the stories that accompany the luscious recipes. I finally learned how to make delicious pie crusts following the instructions in the beginning of the book. #LitsyCooks
“I guess that's when people call their mothers - when their world is falling apart.”
― Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Before We Visit the Goddess
pickI'm anxiously awaiting August 30th and the arrival of the latest Armande Gamache adventure! I have read them all. If you are looking for some cozy mysteries with characters you will come to love start with STILL LIFE and continue through the list above. Vive Gamache!
bailedI know I am in the minority here as every review I've seen is full of praise for this little novella. Some sentences were amazing. I'll grant that. It has been a long time since I have wanted to throw a book across the room in disgust. I restrained myself. I did bail on it, though, saying to myself, "Oh my God! Do it or don't do it! I really don't care anymore"! (We are talking wedding night and I was well in when I decided to call it....)
Perfect read for a relaxing Sunday afternoon on the terrace...
Yay! I won this ARC and received it in today's mail. Looks intriguing!
pickI'm currently listening to this novel. It is a fascinating and informative account of the events leading to the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. As I listened today I was reminded of these graves we came upon in a churchyard in Kinsale, Ireland.
"Monsieur Zola's tale is not about getting a wash house or a chance upon the stage. It is about being born downtrodden and staying that way."
"That's how it is sometimes when we plunge into the depths of our lives. No one can accompany us, not even those who would give up their hearts for our happiness.”
― Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Sister of My Heart
"Matsu's garden whispers at you, never shouts; it leads you down a path hoping for more, as if everything is seen, yet hidden."
Our book club feasted on cheeses, French bread, Salade Nicoise, and homemade macarons while discussing the delightful Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. The book received mixed reviews. Personally, I loved it.
