Saturday, October 21, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

Quakery by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen discusses all of the medical wonders that turned into "I wonder why anyone thought that was a good idea".  It combines humor with medical history to give readers a glimpse into the highly questionable medical practices of the past.  The book was fascinating and scary all at the same time.  It made me wonder which medical marvels of today will become the cautionary tales of tomorrow.  I do wish the book had been a bit more serious.  Otherwise it was well put together.

Julie Mulhern's Cold as Ice is the sixth book in the Country Club Murders series.  I have not read any of the previous books, but I was able to easily keep up with the characters.  The book is set in the 1970s yet it did not feel dated at all.  Ellison is raising her teenage daughter Grace on her own after her husband's death.  Ellison has her hands full with Grace's no good boyfriend and wild parties.  Add in a demanding mother and social activities, and the last thing she needs is to find a dead body.  Unfortunately that is exactly what happens.  I adored the characters and Ellison's prim and proper mannerisms.  This book was good enough that I have added the first five to my reading list.

The Dinner Plan by Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion offers a variety of Simple Weeknight Recipes and Strategies for Every Schedule.  I marked several interesting recipes.  I liked that most of the recipes used basic ingredients.  Another bonus is that there was little risk the dishes would include anything my sometimes picky husband would not eat.  I opted to make the Pasta e Fagioli.  I stuck to the recipe although I did cut back on the spinach (picky husband, remember?).  The picky husband declared that the soup was delicious and that I could include more spinach next time.  I love having another meatless meal we both enjoy.  The soup came together quickly and like many of the recipes is an excellent weeknight meal.  This is a wonderful resource for busy families.

Best Laid Plants by Marty Wingate is book six in the Potting Shed Mystery series.  Gardener Pru thinks she has found the perfect job.  She gets to look at reviving a neglected arts and crafts garden and bring her husband along on the trip.  When the garden's designer is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Pru's detective husband steps in to help the police.  He even invites Pru to help him investigate.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the plants as much as the mystery.  Pru and her husband are joined by a variety of great supporting characters.  This is a wonderful gardening themed cozy mystery series.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

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