Book Review: Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Death Comes To Pemberley by P.D. James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. I love mysteries, and, of course, Darcy and Elizabeth. What happened? Was it the lack of a compelling enough mystery? Definitely. Of course, I wanted to find out what happened to Denny. I never believed Wickham had killed his best friend. The murder, as confessed by the perpetrator, read like a whim to me. The motive? Unsubstantiated as to exactly what had occurred and who was at fault. Revealing that Denny was innocent of all but his association with the "wrong sort".

I also felt the explanations offered by Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Darcy for their past decisions and actions were disappointing. I was looking for more mystery. More meaning. More oomph.

I did like discovering more about the characters as created by this author, but found some of her insights into the characters completely of Jane Austen's creation to be disturbingly different from my own. I'll always prefer the Darcy and Lizzy of Jane's imagination, but that doesn't mean I won't want to explore other authors' interpretive works.

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My Ray of Sunshine

My Ray of Sunshine, originally uploaded by valeehill.

The first photo posted of Lizzie this year and she's snoozing. She looked so comfortable in her bed with the sun shining on her. She'd had a good breakfast, a good grooming, and a romp on the beach. A pretty good day, so far, in the life of a beloved dog.

Book Review: Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There were laughs, just not as many as I'm used to. Lula wasn't present for much of the first half (?) of the book and I missed her! Stephanie is still totally indecisive about Joe and Ranger. I think after 18 (numbered) books it's time to have her mind made up for her. The success of the books isn't completely about their unresolved "issues". There has to be more.

I wanted to be privy to what happened in Hawaii while it was happening. I think it would have been fun to be along for their Hawaiian adventures as they occurred for just a little while. Trenton is a "character", but other than Stephanie, no other character needs to be in every scene.

Wondering what's going to be happening in number nineteen...also, fairly excited about the motion picture, One For the Money, later this month.

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Vegan Dessert: Choco-Chai Coffee Cake

Choco-Chai Coffee Cake, originally uploaded by valeehill.

Unbelievably I've made it to this point in life without ever having had Chai Tea. I bought the box of Tazo Organic Chai for this recipe, and because my daughter had some and said it was, "delicious!" I took the conservative route and used 4 tea bags not knowing how spicy it would be. After having tasted the moist cake and gooey topping, I plan on increasing the number of bags considerably the next time.

The recipe is from my favorite baking book, The 100 Best Vegan Recipes by Kris Holechek.

Tomorrow, my first cup of Chai Tea, to which I've been told to add milk (soy milk) and sugar (organic)!

Vegan Dessert: Orange Pudding Cake

Orange Pudding Cake, originally uploaded by valeehill.

From the recipe book "have your cake and vegan too" by Kris Holechek. This is baked in a shallow pan/dish and served warm. It was especially moist with an ample amount of "pudding" in the bottom of the pan. The one thing it lacked was a zesty orange flavor. We found it too subtle. Next time. A large orange, instead of a medium. More zest just may do it!

Vegan Dessert: Big Debbie's Creme Cake

Big Debbie's Creme Cake, originally uploaded by valeehill.

A confession. I have NEVER had a Debbie's Creme Cake. That means I have no comparison. That's okay, because I can't imagine it would taste as good as this wonderful (and large) vegan version. Wow, it was delish!

I had to buy raisins especially for this recipe since I always use dried cranberries. I've never been a shortening user, but with Spectrum Naturals Organic Non-Hydrogenated Shortening there is no "yuck factor".

The recipe is from "have your cake and vegan too" by Kris Holechek. She 'did good'!

Book Review: Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Five stars. Five tissues...at least. Those of you who have read Kristin Hannah are already aware of how intensely moving her novels are. Winter Garden is no exception. It is a stirring depiction of two daughters, Meredith and Nina, dealing with the death of their beloved father and his request of them to get to know their secretive and reserved mother. They must get her to continue telling them the fairy tale she had started when they were young but hadn't yet finished.

As the novel (and fairy tale) unfold we learn how their mother's repressed behavior towards her own daughters has affected their lives and relationships. Since I don't do spoilers I will reveal no more specifics. I'll just say when Meredith, Nina, and their mother go to Alaska together more than just the majestic beauty of the area is revealed.

(Note: The story was motivation enough for finishing it in a timely manner, but another inducement was it would be my 52nd book read in 2011. I had challenged myself to read 40, but I could not leave my total at 51 when 52 would make my average for the year perfect!)



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Book Review: Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell

Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After not being able to finish the two previous Scarpetta novels (Scarpetta and The Scarpetta Factor) and barely finishing several (Book of the Dead, Predator, Trace, Blow Fly), before them, I am fairly pleased with Port Mortuary. In comparison, that is.

I found it heavy on confusing dialog, but felt returning to Scarpetta's point of view was its saving grace. It was a complex story line with seemingly unrelated things ultimately being connected. There was a number of very clever lines of dialog and I enjoyed Kay's interaction with the Greyhound, Sock.

I will give the current Scarpetta novel, Red Mist, a try and be hopeful that I find it interesting enough to finish as well.

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The Gift of Companionship

This Christmas I'm thinking out of the box. My gift under the tree isn't in a box wrapped in shiny paper. No, my gift is Lizzie - her companionship. Everyday. Around-the-clock. All year. Not just for those special days - birthdays, Christmas...She is with me when my family is away or busy. Her constant, quiet, timid demeanor is a true comfort to me. I try to be a comfort to her, as well. I'm offering her pep talks so she'll get in her bed even though there is now a towering tree and scary boxes above it. I'm coaxing her past the basket on the floor in the hall and the decorated broom by the front door. I think it helps. I hope it helps.

She's generally extremely quiet but acts outrageously silly with her toys and when on the shore of the river. She's quite frightened of the wind and thunderstorms in the house, but isn't afraid to go outside in the rain, wind, or snow. She loves the snow! Even more than playing at the beach. Watching her enjoy herself free from the things that worry her makes me happier than any gift in a box ever could. 

She's so patient while I take care of her eye, give her a 'Peticure', groom her, and brush her teeth. She never seems to assume it's time to eat or go outside. She simply waits for the cues and then gets appropriately excited.  When I find myself worrying about things or a little sad Lizzie is always nearby. Taking her for a walk. Talking to her. Petting her. She is my constant companion. Her presence is my comfort, and, yes, joy! 

Book Review: Lethal by Sandra Brown

Lethal by Sandra Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lethal is the 53rd book I've read by Sandra Brown. I was so into it I thought I had been reading it for two days. Come to find out, I only started it yesterday afternoon! Talk about an engrossing read!

The one thing I missed with this book was any sign of the Louisiana dialect. Sure, it's stated the story takes place in Louisiana and there are plenty of geographical mentions, but I wanted the characters to read like they're from Louisiana. You know what I mean? Sandra has done it before (Slow Heat in Heaven comes to mind). I wonder why not in this one? (A little hint here and there would have been nice.) There are plenty of twists and turns, and I couldn't settle on what characters could be fully trusted. I felt most of Honor's reactions came across realistically. Emily was adorable! Lee Coburn acted a little "sociopathic" for my tastes, but he was amendable with Honor and Emily's influence. I had a inkling who The Bookkeeper might be in chapter 34, but WOW what an exciting reveal!

Oh, the ending...not the tidily wrapped up one we might hope for, but we know what happens, don't we?

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