The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

November 28, 2022

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Emily Sheridan and Chess Chandler have been friends since elementary school. Both are writers: Emily writes cozy mysteries and Chess writes self-help books. Following a bad period in Emily's life, Chess suggests they spend the summer at a villa in Italy where both can work on their writing. At first, the house seems like the perfect place to spend the summer. But when Emily learns that a murder occurred at the villa 50 years earlier, she begins to dig deeper into the story.

There are two timelines here, set 50 years apart, that mirror each other to a certain extent. I figured out the plot about one third of the way into the story. But there were some unexpected twists as well as two different endings, and the reader is left wondering about the truth. Quite a few of the characters are unlikeable, so it didn't bother me when they died or got killed. This is enjoyable escape fiction, well-written, that is perfect for vacation, and readers of psychological or suspense fiction will be drawn into the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Orvieto, Italy, the setting for The Villa

#veryfat #verybrave by Nicole Byer

November 28, 2022

#veryfat #verybrave by Nicole Byer

Comedian Nicole Byer celebrates her plus-size body in this collection of photos showing off her collection of bikinis. She also talks about growing up as a large child and living as a plus-size adult in a society that scorns fat people. She discusses her acting career and how she gained the confidence to be #brave enough to appear in her bikinis in public. 

Nicole is a funny lady and I enjoy watching her on the Netflix baking disaster series Nailed It! The cover photo is a take-off on a photo of the singer Lil Kim.

Nicole on Nailed It!

Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore with Eric C. Westman, M.D.

November 27, 2022

Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore with Eric C. Westman, M.D.

A beginner's guide to starting a keto diet with explanations of how keto differs from low calorie, low carb, and paleo diets. My sister-in-law is doing some kind of carnivore's diet, so I wanted to see if that's the same thing as keto. It's not.

The research on keto's positive effect on a variety of health conditions is intriguing, including diabetes, weight loss, cardiovascular disease, aging, and cognitive disorders. Carbs are my downfall and I do better if I stay away from carbs altogether, rather than trying to limit them like plans like WW do (which works well for some people - one of my brothers has done WW for years with great success). Keto eliminates most carbs except for non-starchy vegetables and the few carbs that you may get in protein sources. I actually like vegetables (no, I'm not an alien), but this might be a good diet for the non-vegetable eater.

Another thing about keto that appeals to me is that you limit protein, since I'm not a meat lover. The hardest thing to get your head around is increasing the fat in your diet. If you aren't eating sugar or starch, you body will start to burn your dietary and stored fat. It seems counter-intuitive to eat fat when you already have plenty of fat stored around your body, but it seems like the dietary fat triggers fat burning. Also, it's been drummed into us for decades that fat is bad for you, even though studies have proved that this isn't true, that it's based on a hypothesis rather than genuine research. Most of what the government tells us about what we should eat comes from lobbyists from various food industries (sugar, snack foods, dairy, grain, juice box manufacturers, soda producers, etc.) and who will pay the most money. Most doctors know very little about nutrition since they don't take even a single class on diet in medical school - I've heard that nutritional instruction is an hour or two at the most.

Overall, keto sounds like it might be a good way to give your organs a rest, especially your liver, kidneys, and pancreas, so I am planning on trying it for 30 days and then evaluating the results.

Peanut butter fat bombs, one of the more delicious things that you can eat on keto

Nut butter fat bombs:

1 c. nut butter (preferably almond or cashew, but I used low sugar p.b.)

3/4 c. coconut oil

2-3 T. unsalted butter

2-3 packets stevia

Combine all ingredients in a microwavable bowl and heat in microwave until melted, stirring about every 30 seconds. Pour mixture into ice cube trays or other container. Freeze for two hours. If using a larger container, freeze for 1-1/2 hours and cut into 16 portions, then freeze until solid. Enjoy one after dinner in place of a high-carb dessert. Makes 16 servings.

The Maker of Swans by Paraic O'Donnell

November 20, 2022

Eustace is a servant to Mr. Crowe, a mysterious man with a magical literary talent. Crowe shares his home with his ward, Clara, a mute girl who is extremely intelligent, and writes and draws. But when Mr. Crowe commits a violation of the rules that govern his magic and is set a task to atone for his offense, Clara is abducted until Mr. Crowe completes his punishment.

This is a difficult book to review. The writing is gorgeous and lush, and I really enjoyed listening to the story. Also, the characters are fascinating and I wanted to learn more about them. The book has two parts: the first part has very little magic in it and is just a good story about a reclusive man, his faithful servant who cleans up his messes, and the child who lives with them. The second part is about Eustace descending into despair after Clara is abducted, and also about Clara's imprisonment.

One of the novel's problems is that Mr. Crowe's magical power is referred to in only the vaguest of terms, so vague that the reader isn't sure what it is that he can do. It sounds like he might be a writer's muse of some sort, but it isn't clear. Another problem is that the book ends quite abruptly. Some people loved it, but I'm ambivalent.

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

November 19, 2022

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

The six Mitford sisters are the toast of the London social scene, even in the middle of a worldwide economic depression. Oldest sister Nancy concentrates on her marriage and her writing, while sisters Diana and Unity are caught up in Hitler's fascism and become close personal friends of the Fuhrer, as well as strong supporters of the British Union of Fascists. Meanwhile, younger sister Jessica is a devout communist and runs off to Spain with her boyfriend to fight Franco's regime.

Marie Benedict really captures life in England and Germany between the two world wars. She focuses on the three oldest sisters: Nancy, the best known of the sisters for her writing; Diana, married to the head of the British Union of Fascists; and Unity, Nazi fangirl who possibly had an affair with Hitler. As with all of Benedict's books, research is sound and even readers who are unfamiliar with this time period will have no problem being caught up in the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Five of the six Mitford sisters

Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt

November 15, 2022

Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt

It's almost the holiday season. On his way to a charity dinner, Mayor Alex Oliva is shot and killed in his driveway. Lawyer Andy Carpenter is drawn into the case when his Golden Retriever Tara digs up a body in the local park. After a reporter who had a grudge against the mayor is arrested for the crime, the editor of the local paper asks Andy to represent the reporter. But when a second person is killed, Andy suspects there is more going on than just an unhappy constituent. 

Fun holiday read. As usual, reluctant lawyer Andy lets his friends sucker him into taking on another case that he doesn't want. It's not necessary to read the series in order. If you like lighter mysteries and dogs, this series is a good choice.

BTW - Andy believes that Tara, his Golden Retriever, is the best Golden Retriever ever, but he's wrong - that title goes to my Golden Retriever Luke.

Paterson, NJ, Andy's hometown

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

November 15, 2022

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

Ann Stilwell is a Renaissance art graduate student who is offered a summer internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, but when she arrives, the only position available is at The Cloisters, a branch of MOMA that specializes in medieval art. At The Cloisters, Ann works with the stunning Rachel and Patrick, the equally stunning curator who is obsessed with finding an original tarot deck from the 15th century. When one of her co-workers is murdered, Ann realizes that she is part of a dangerous game.

I love all things medieval and I've always wanted to visit The Cloisters in New York. Medieval literature was one of my concentrations in grad school, so I was looking forward to reading Hays' novel. I loved the setting, and the descriptions of the museum and the gardens were wonderful. But the plot really dragged, and the characters were irritating. Ann was incredibly naive, Rachel vacillated between brilliant, manipulative, and extremely childish, and Patrick's only real interests were tarot and Rachel. There is also a lot about the cutthroat world of academia. I guess publishing houses don't have editors anymore?

Many thanks to Edeweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC. Wish I had liked it more.

The Cloisters museum in New York