REVIEW: Famous Mysteries of the Sea

 Famous Mysteries of the Sea
Author: Patricia Lauber

Back when I was in grade school, once or twice a year we would get to take home order forms for books. I was usually allowed to buy one or two. I'd eagerly wait that 6-8 weeks for our teacher to get the order....then run home as fast as I could to read my new books. Weekly Reader and Scholastic. Just seeing those two names sends me into instant nostalgia!

I usually bought mysteries, ghost stories or books featuring animals. So when I see these old paperbacks in thrift stores, garage sales or library sales.....I bring home several and spend a happy evening or two completely immersed in nostalgia. :)  And I bounce back into my old reading habit from yesteryear -- pajamas, propped up on my pillow in bed, with a cup of cocoa, my dog......and a entertaining book! 

When I found this book to read online, it created the same nostalgic feel for me. I eagerly spent an hour or so reading these 10 stories of famous disappearances and ship wrecks at sea. Although along the same theme, the stories range from very famous and well known mysteries like the ghost ship Mary Celeste and the disappearance of Amelia Earhart to lesser known incidents like the disappearance of the steamer Waratah in 1909. 

The tales are short and have simple black/white illustrations. I read this book on OpenLibrary as this book is long out of print and I would be lucky to find a copy to purchase at a sale. 

These stories are perfect for a quick entertaining read for anyone who loves mysteries and the sea. Children and adults alike. They are a perfect, short length for having students read aloud or for speech/theater practice. The tales are age appropriate....no spurting blood, graphic mayhem or horror elements. 

Patricia Lauber passed away in 2010. She wrote more than 100 books for children. I'm sure I bought one
or more of them on those lovely order sheets back in the day!!  

The illustrations and cover art are by  Lewis Zacks.He passed away in 2014, but worked many years as an artist for ad agencies and publishers. His art depicting east coast locations is wonderful. Just search him online - you won't regret it! :) 

 A very entertaining read!! I'm glad I was able to enjoy this book!

REVIEW: Easy Indian Vegetarian - Delicious Recipes for Every Day

 Easy Indian Vegetarian: Delicious Recipes for Every Day
Author: Chetna Makan

I am on a culinary quest.  While seeking more work/life balance, I am also looking to vary my diet and cooking skills. I have lived in a large metro region for 4 years now. It's time to take advantage of the many different markets and grocery options there are here for cooking just about any international cuisine. 

I started with Indian food because I enjoy it. Love the ingredients and the spices. But....I want to learn every day options, not the fussy, fancy stuff served in restaurants. I want food that I can cook at home while juggling my busy work life. Relaxing.....not stressful. 

So I grabbed this basic Indian vegetarian cookbook and one other one from my local library to try some recipes. I'm not looking to cook to impress.....but to cook for happiness and fun. Has to be simple.....and not fussy. 

This book delivered just that!! Everything from flatbreads and snacks to side dishes and desserts! Yum!

The dishes are relatively simple and use normal ingredients. The instructions are straight forward. There are also many color photos in the book. 

This is a great starting place for me! I can make some tasty flatbread to accompany meals, a lovely main course or just try out a new vegetarian side dish. Most of the ingredients I already have in my pantry, or know right where to go locally to buy what I need.  

I enjoyed the variety of recipes in this book. Recipe types are organized by chapter and there is also an index in the back of the book. 

Yum!! I forsee many happy hours in my kitchen!  

REVIEW: The Delicious Book of Dhal

 The Delicious Book of Dhal
Author: Nitisha Patel

I am trying to improve my work/life balance so coming up with new hobbies and ways to enrich my state of being. I enjoy cooking. It's useful, but relaxing and interesting for me at the same time. Because I live in a large metro region now, I can easily find nearly any ingredient I need or branch out into any sort of cuisine. 

I chose Indian food first. Mostly because...well.....yum! 

I grabbed this book at my local library and sat down to just read, browse through the recipes and look at the full color photos. 

I generally check out a cookbook.....find some recipes to save and try.....review the book....and return it to the library. I enjoyed this one so much I added an extra step. I put the book on my wish list to buy a copy. 

There are more than 50 vegetarian or vegan dhal recipes in this book. The ingredients are simple and the instructions are clear. And -- the food is amazing!! 

For anyone who doesn't know what dhal is....  Dhal refers to dried lentils, peas and beans. The word is used both for the dried ingredients and a dish made from them. It is surprising just how varied cooking with dhal can be.....everything from side dishes and soups to main courses and desserts. There are so many different kinds of lentils, peas and beans. Very colorful and they store like magic! 

I didn't find a single recipe in this book that made me pause and think...."Ohhhh this is just too complex for me to want to try it" or the dreaded "I don't even know what these ingredients are"   Nope -- instructions are straightforward, and there is also an Introduction that has details about the different types of dhal and a list of spices. Most of the ingredients I already had in my pantry! 

The recipes are varied. Several different types of dhal and also paste and chutney, plus desserts! The choices are vegan and vegetarian. If someone wanted to add meat, they could. And the vegetarian recipes could easily be changed to vegan by switching out milk and cheese ingredients to vegan options. 

I have a finite amount of space for physical cook books, but this book earns a spot on my shelf! 

Yum!! An excellent place to start.....great basic book to have on hand.   

REVIEW: Dead as a Doornail

 Dead As a Doornail
Author: Charlaine Harris

Dead as a Doornail is the 5th book in the Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse series. 

Sookie finds herself pulled further into were/shifter concerns when someone starts shooting shifters. As the attacks multiply, Sookie works to uncover the identity of the sniper. 

This is another book in the series that really isn't my favorite. I'm glad the story lines expanded into more than just vampire culture/politics/events, but the shifter stories just aren't my favorites. I think that's mainly because I don't like how the weres/shifters treat Sookie. They continually seek out her help, and then treat her poorly when the outcome isn't exactly what they wanted. But I guess that makes sense....pack mentality and all that. 

I read my paperback copy of this book while listening to the audio book [Recorded Books, 2005, 9 hours 34 minutes, narrated by Johanna Parker] 

I first read this series as each book came out starting back in the early 2000s. I've had the full series on my bookshelf for years and have re-visited Bon Temps and Sookie multiple times over the years. I like the characters, the setting and story. The subplots keep things from getting stale. 

This time, I'm reading all the books again and the short stories too. First time I've read the short stories. Most of them were printed in fantasy/urban fantasy story anthologies along with tales by other authors. I found a reading order list online, and I'm stopping to read stories as they pop up in the order. So far, I've read Fairy Dust and Dracula Night. Both were enjoyable! 

I enjoyed re-reading this book, despite not really liking the more shifter-centric story lines. I'm glad I decided to re-read this series. It's like visiting old friends. :) 

I'm re-reading my physical copies of the series one last time and will donate the books when I'm finished. Shelf space is at a premium and I need to downsize over the next year before I move into a smaller apartment.  Next time I want to revisit these books, I will just get them from the library. :) 

Moving on to the next book!  

 

REVIEW: The Museum of Unusual Occurence

 The Museum of Unusual Occurrence
Author: Erica Wright

This is a book of unusual and bizarre occurrence.......and I loved every word! 

I was totally intrigued when I read the blurb for this story, and just had to read it. I'm always up for a suspenseful, spooky and weird tale! This story definitely hit the mark!

Aly is raising her teenage sister and running a business -- a museum where the exhibits are odd curiosities. Imagine her surprise when the museum suddenly has a new, unexpected exhibit -- a murdered woman's body. Aly is determined to discover who killed the young woman and find out why they put the body in her museum. 

I love it when I read a book by a new-to-me author who surprises me with a book that is spooky, bizarre and something totally unexpected and unique. And, the cover art is perfect. 

This is the first book in the Psychic City series. I can't wait to read more!! 

 

REVIEW: Only Spell Deep

 Only Spell Deep
Author: Ava Morgyn

Judeth Cole was born with abilities.....magical abilities. And it made her childhood dark and traumatic. Much as she tries, she can't escape her past, or her magic.....   Just as she's giving up on life, magic comes back to pull her onto a new path. 

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. But, the gothic spooky feel grabbed my attention from the start and I got sucked right into the story. The book blurb called this story a mix of The Craft and Rebecca....but I'm not sure that really fits. The story is definitely dark and magical, but I didn't get a vibe like The Craft from it. 

The first half of the book is a bit slow, but as soon as the second half hit, I understood that the mood, setting and characters needed that set up for the story to end the way that it did. Perfect! 

The plot and characters definitely kept my interest from start to finish. Very entertaining read!  

I'm definitely going to read more by this author. I enjoyed this story and from other reviews I have read she has written more with the same vibe.  

REVIEW: First Sign of Danger

 First Sign of Danger
Author: Kelley Armstrong

The Rockton series and its spinoff, Haven's Rock, are two of my favorite suspense/thriller book series! I've been reading each book since the Rockton series started, and enjoy each new adventure. 

Casey and Eric run Haven's Rock, a settlement hidden in the deep woods of Canada where people in trouble can disappear for awhile. A sanctuary in the middle of nowhere.  Right now, the two have much more than the daily troubles in town to worry about -- they are new parents. Their baby is just six months old. 

This time, a pair of hikers get too close to town for comfort. They don't want their secret sanctuary exposed. Unfortunately, one of the hikers is soon found dead and the situation escalates quickly. Who killed the hiker? And why were the two so close to town? 

Loved this newest story in the series! I was a bit concerned this book would be all baby, baby, baby, new parent problems, baby .... but it really wasn't. The story was just as suspenseful and exciting with just a little bit of new parent problems lamented.  :) 

I can't wait for the next book in this series!!  I recently recommended the Rockton series to a good friend. She has quickly become just as big a fan of the stories as I am!