FATAL FLAW, by Marie Force

*** I enjoyed it!

First of all I want to say this is my first Marie Force book.  I didn't read the first Fatal book, so I was lost at times with some of the characters.  I loved Senator Nick Cappuano and D.c. Police Liutenant Sam Holland and the other couples as well.  Terry O'Connor and Lindsey McNamara's, Jeannie Mc Bride and Michael,  Freddy Cruz and Elin, Gonzo and Christina... There is a lot of love around.

Nick and Sam are back from the honeymoon in Bora Bora when the murders started.  And they also discovered there were thinly veiled death threats mixed with their wedding cards, thousands of them! They arrived at HQ, at Nick's office, at home... so there was a lot of work to do.  Sam and Nick are in danger and so are many people related to them.

LAST CHANCE BEAUTY QUEEN, by Hope Ramsay

**** I liked it.

An English baron wants to buy Rocky Rhodes' father golf course so he can put up a textile machinery factory.  Her boss, senator  Rupert Warren put her at Lord Wollham's disposal until the problem is solved. There is a conflict of interest... and there is the fact  that Rocky doesn't want to go to Last Chance for the Watermelon festival.  How is she going to solve Lord Wollham's problem without drowning in his scotch whisky color eyes? The town is lovable.  The characters too.  You will enjoy  this love story.

EATING FREE, by Manuel Villacorta

****  I love this book, it shows you how to eat what is good for you and loose weight in the way.  It's very interesting to know about the ghrelin hormone, how it spikes if you don't eat every three hours, how to control your hunger and the best of all: the shopping list!  

THE HUNTER/FARMER DIET SOLUTION, by Dr. Mark Liponis

*****  I love it!  After you read the first chapters you will be able to  know whether you are a hunter or a farmer.  For me it was 100% farmer, so I'm starting with the farmer diet, which is very healthy, so if I loose weight, it will be great!  Very interesting book with all the explanations you need to know.

EDGE OF SURVIVAL, by Tony Anderson

***** I couldn't put it down!

Cameran Young is biologist researching for the Environmental Impact Research in the northern Canadian wilds.  She arrives with her friend Vicky to a bar full of mining men where she needed to go to the toilet,   and she notices the second cubicle is closed, she thought there was a woman  needing help, but when she opened the door, the woman was beyond help, her throat was slit, she was definetely dead.  In shock she barelly remembers her flight with  Daniel Fox, her apointed helicopter pilot through islands, inlets and fjords to the bay where the Imaviaq is anchored.  

Between Daniel and Cam there is intense growing attraction, but he has issues.  He is struggling with some memories of his past as a UK SAS  sergant, and is trying to drown his sorrow in alcohol and casual sex.  He is very protective of Cam, probably because she has diabetes.

This book is full of funny comments and descriptions, such as:  "...charming everyone who possessed dangling genitalia with her Colgate smile and Clairol streaks" 

In fact, I couldn't put it down, the characters are completely lovable and realistic, and it has the basic ingredients for a good entertainment: suspense, romance, fun, a bit of mystery and surprise in the end and a good rhythm.  I loved it!

CAUGHT IN CRYSTAL, by Patricia C. Wrede

  ****

This is my first book of Patricia C. Wrede's series about the world of Lyra.  Lyra is a magical place that is shared by four races, the Shees, the Wyrds, that are creatures very similar to cats, Neiras and humans.  The center of the main continent sank, mountains rose and fell...

Fifteen years ago Kayl used to be a warrior of the Sisterhood of the Star and was happy there, until  the mission of the tower went all wrong, and she left to protect her Varnan friends, and marry one of them in the end. 

Now Kayl is a widow who  lives in Copenhan, Mindaria several months away from Kith Alunel.  She has two children Mark and Dara, who seem to have some powers too.  She owns an inn and works there cooking and managing the inn.  One day, while she was sweeping the floor, a very wealthy travel charriot arrived bringing somebody with power, a sorceress of the Sisterhood of the Star.   Corrana of the Sussewild, without meaning to, brought danger to Kayl and her children.  Seven Magicseekers were after her, and the magic they could obtain from them all.  

But Glyndon shal Morag,  her Varan friend came to warn her of it.  Glyndon  has been having spells and visions, since their mission in the tower, when some of her friends died.  And they could hide and leave Copenhan,  , and doing so she will be faced with danger, but also with love and adventure.

I do not always enjoy fantastic books, but this one was very entertaning.

COLLISION OF LIES, John J. Le Beau

****     Great thriller!

John Le Beau gives us another collision!  Engaging suspense in lovely scenario. Once again, german police detective Kommisar Franz Waldbaer leads the investigation with his Austrian colegue, Frau Sabine Reiner and CIA agent Robert Hirter.  

Georg Forster, founder of the Österriche Nationalistische Verteidgungs Front Partei ( a neo nazi party), was found dead in what seems a crash accident, but his succesor, Anton Hessler, claims he was murdered by the mossad.  Kommisar Franz Waldbaer was ordered to investigate, since the crash occured 20 km. from the border of Austria, in Germany, and Kommissarin  Frau Sabine Reiner from Innsbrück, since Forster was Austrian and was leaving Austria as it happened.  

They find out somebody was tailing him, an agent of the mossad, who was killed too.  So the investigation expands from the south of Germany to the north port of Hamburg, and Austria, from Langfield, Virginia, to Azerbaijan, and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Funny situations about the idyosincrasy of Austrian people and the beliefs of Kommisarin Sabine, who is a very feminist woman, and also about who is to lead this investigation, plus where they should meet, (München or Innsbück) leading Waldbaer to think that austrian people had an inferiority complex because Austria used to be a very powerful empire and was now only a tourist destination.  Sabine thinks he is chauvinistic and he is not a very good host since he provided her with coffee in a ceramic mug which was less than robustly cleaned, while she invited him with strudel and coffe from Julius Meinl (a coffee shop with 150 years of history).  She is always against his meeting places, such as the Bier Garten. :-)

It was nice to notice Le Beau was familiar with Bayern, enough to know bavarians greet each other with "Grussgott" being mostly catholic, instead of Hallo, or Guten Morgen as in other states of Germany.  The description of every place is very good too.  It was a pleasure to read and I felt transported minus jet lag to germany and austria.

LEARNING TO TRUST, by Lynne Connolly

*****  I loved it!  


I finished it in one day, and not because it is short. (73000 words)


Bellina Mazzanti Forde disappeared with Byron Brantley five years ago.  Now his brother Jonathan has tracked her to Naples and asks for her help in finding his brother, in fact he decided not to let her out of his sight until he can do it.  


Lina doesn't want to be found and never thought of returning to her life as a socialite in New York city.  She had a new identity and is happy in her new and thrifty life, as a waitress of a small Cafe in Naples. They cannot avoid the incredible pull of desire and they start an affair.  There are lots of sex scenes.   Someone shots at them .  Why?


I liked the characters very much.  Lina is a recovering drug addict, she  is independent, she studies and works.  Jon is lovable, sexy and possive, in a nice way...

A SEDUCTIVE KISS, by Francis Ray

***** Excellent! 
I couldn't put it down.  Dianne is a lovable heroine, Alex Stewart is not only a successful lawyer he is also sexy, has a heart of gold and has always been there for her.  Like when she was five and he was nine, and her parents had given away all her toys for Christmas and Santa had forgotten to visit her house, he had bought a pink bicycle with his own money and told her Santa had delivered to his house. Ahhhh! :-) (so cute)


Dianna Harrington is known as The Face (of Harrington House), she is stunning, and could probably choose any man she wants but she feels more comfortable with Alex. And there is this thing that she feels when he touches her, when he looks at her,  so she has a proposition for him...

**** Great Salads!


This is a book you will like to have at hand when you are planning a meal.  Salads look delicious and healthy! There are tips you won't like to miss, the key ingredients and basic techniques, basic skills, how to....


Leafy salads, vegetable and fruit salads (great combinations!), grain, bread and pasta salads and last but not least the legume salads. 


Also how to make the dressings...mayonnaise and vinagrettes... Very easy to follow instructions.  The photography is superb, you can taste these salads!

 ***** Great book on macarons!


This book is great!  The photographs are lovely and you feel it will be so easy to make your own macarons!  There are 25 recipes of macarons you will love to try!  The classics (chocolate, macarons with praline, pistachio, or coffe flavoured buttercream, spiced macarons (with fennel, curry, spices and candied ginger...) the exotic macarons, the fruity (apricot and passionfruit macarons, cassis, lemmon...)


If you love macarons you will love this book!

SIMPLY FRESH, by Jeff Morgan

  **** 
Simply Fresh has over one hundred recipes inspired from Ruby Tueday's . Drinks, appetizers and side dishes, bruch!!! Salads and pasta, seafood, beef, pork and poultry and Desserts! (lemmon zabaglione, cheese cake and angel food cake are my favorites)


There are several chef's tips, some of them with step by step photographs, which are alwasy so useful.  The photography is just great.  You will enjoy this book and keep it at hand to plan your menu.

**** A must!




This book is full of great bread recipes! It could have more pictures though. From  clasic breakfast breads,  to english muffins, rolls, angel buiscuits, bread sticks, ciabatta bread and rolls! Chili dusted navajo bread, yested pancakes, doughnuts, berliners, pizza dough. 


You will love cooking theese recipes!

*****Excellent Guide!

This is a very complete guide of how to choose and prepare the best season vegetables, fruits and herbs.  They are divided into: Spring, Late Summer, Fall and Winter and each product has a tip of how to keep it fresh, how to prepare, how to use it, also surprising pairings of this product and preserving!  Several recipes also. At the end there is a chapter of Prepping Produce and Freezer know how as well.  

The photography is superb, but has no pictures of recipes.

Everybody should have one of this at home!

THE PROFESSOR, by Cathy Perkins

*****  I LOVED IT!


This is a thriller, a murder-romance that will keep you tied up until the end. The professor is a killer, he is careful and organized, he chooses his victims, (all young and beautful ladies that wouldn't give him the time of day),  he stalks them, learn their secrets, and he takes them and enjoys them until he is not enjoying it anymore and kills them in the worst way. 


Agent Mick O'Shaughnessy works for SLED  and was ordered to stop these murders.  


He meets Meg Connelly, grad student and faculty advisor and he can't keep his eyes off her.  They are instantly attracted.  He wants to know her better but she is determined to finish her master's degree and concentrate only on that.  But the attraction is too strong...

THE VINKING'S SACRIFICE, by Julia Knight

 ****
You will surelly enjoy this book if you like historicals.  This story takes place in the year 836 in Northern England, when the vikings came to raid their coasts. 

Such is the case of the town of Wilda, a carefree young girl, who loved running on the beach for the sheer joy of running, until her town is attacked and she witnesses the death of her mother. During this attack she meets Einar, a young viking boy who saves her life. Eight years after that, they meet again, she will restore his courage, his selfsteem and his name, he will save her life again... This is a story of karls, and thralls, jarls, runes, gods and sacrifices... There is little joy in this story, but I enjoyed it all the same.

HOLIDAY KISSES, by Kent, Burton, Dimon, and Stacey

****


Four stories for Christmas in one book.  Some better than the others...


Number one: "This Time Next Year" by Alison Kent - Dillon Craig is a mountain doctor, taking care of the mountain patients as he did in Afganistan.  He is a troubled man.  Ten comes Brenna Keating for her christmas party with her granny, but crashes her car and Dillon takes her to his cabin....Sparks fly, but Brenna is determined to fullfil her dream of an overseas trip, so they meet next year.  The story started great, but it something is missing in the middle. ***


NUmber two: "A Rare Gift" by Jaci Burton - Calliope Andrews had always a crush on Wyatt Kent - who was her former brother in law.  Divorced already three years ago, she contractred his company to build an extension to her daucare.  There are sparks, and Callipe is determined to get what she wants.  ****


Number three: "It's Not Christmas Without You" by HelenKay Dimon - Carrie and Austin were small-town sweethearts back in West Virginia, but when she headed off to D.C. to pursue her career dreams, Austin was left behind. He gets drunk, and mourns for two weeks and when he learns (by her brother) that she is dating again, he goes to bring her back. ***


Number four: "Mistletoe and Margaritas" by Shannon Stacey - Claire's husband died two years ago.  Her best friend during these years was also his best friend: Justin.  But Justin has always been in love with her.  And she?   I loved this one! ****

CAN'T TOUCH THIS, by Marley Gibson

I *** 


I found this book slow and even a little bit boring at first and I had to resist the temptation to quit reading it. But as I don't always enjoy books written in the first person, I made the effort and continued reading, which payed off in the end. 

The reason why I don't like books written in the first person is because you cannot see this main character (who is writing) and cannot know how other people sees them or what they think or feel (for that the ominipresent is best). Sometimes it brings me no pleasure at all, such is the case of Sophy Kinsella's Confessions of a shopaholic, which brought me too much anxiety over the fact that she spends more than she earns. Sometimes, I love them, like Federica Bosco's: Mi piace da morire, which was funny and kept a smile on my face through the whole book.(but it might have been that I loved practicing my italian :-)

Anyway, this isn't the case of Can't touch this. It brought me anxiety over the fact that Vanessa Virtue takes the wrong decissions and trusts the wrong guy. The book has funny situations, and good dialog. Although I made an effort to reach the first 50% of the book, I was hooked from there on till the end and I enjoyed it.

***** Great Book!   Tempting photography of Gabriele Stabile and mark Ibold.  The book was written by Christina Tosi with Courney Mcbroom. It's Momofuku milk bar and all delicious and sweet treats... Aparently, this bar opened in 2004 with no intentions of serving desserts, but then they did!


Mother sauces, ingredients, equipment, technics, cookies, pies, sorbets, cakes,  and red velvet ice cream! And mother dough, bagel bombs, pretzels, brioche and focaccia, etc.

FINE COOKING ITALIAN,

  *****  Excellent,  There are 200 recipes of authentic italian food.  This book is a dream come true: lots of pictures, not only of the finished dish, but also of how to do this and that and little step by step pictures.  

You will be cooking some of these recipes as soon as have it in your hands.  I read it as a digital book, but I am looking forward to having it in paper.

SOUP OF THE DAY, by Kate McMillian and Erin Kunkel

**** Great book! with 365 soup recipes.  One for each day of the year! Great recipe selection.  The photographs are awesome,  I would have preferred more photographs, but I understand it couldn't be easy to have 365 photographs as well.  I recommend this book. 

SAVEUR, Easy Italian, 30 classic recipes

*****   Spectacular!  I love this book, it has a photograph for each recipe and some have step by step photographs, which is great, since we all know how much easier it is to follow written instructions when you have colored pictures as well.

CANAL HOUSE COOKING VOL. VII, La dolce vita, by Christopher Hirsheimer , Melissa Hamilton

***** 


Great Book, good assortment of italian recipes and excellent photography!


You will find from the italian pasta,to fish, rabbits and big birds, vegetables and great sauces and meats. Also sandwiches, pannini and tramezzini...and several types of risotto! 

OUTLANDER SAGA, by Diana Gabaldon

*****This is the first book of the saga of Diana Gabaldon, a great historian and writer.


In 1945 Claire goes to Scotland with her husband and when she is visiting an ancient stone circle she is hurled back in time to a Scotland in 1743.  there she meets a hero like no other: Jamie Fraser.  You will fall in love with him!


I do not like fantastic books, but I loved this one.  It is already several years old...but it is a must!  Following this book is : Dragonfy in Amber: lovely book! and the voyager...another must.

The Girl with a pearl earring, by Tracy Chevalier

***** This book is a treasure!  It is a historical fiction, lovely!


It is the life o a girl, working in the house of the famouse painter Johannes Vermeer.  The description of the household and of the  town of Delft will take you there.  In fact I was so fascinated with the story that I had to visit Delft for myself, and see what Tracy Chevalier so well described.
Griet, a young girl leaves her home to work as a maid in Vermeer household, but endes being his model and assistant as well as his lover...