Month: July 2014
-
Photography Class – Sunflowers
In a previous blog post here, I talked about a fabulous photography class I took with a friend that took place at a Franciscan monastery. I learned so much about my camera and lighting and had a fabulous time. So much so that we decided to take another photography class, this time taking photos at…
-
Book review: In the Time of the Poisoned Queen by Paul Doherty
In Time of the Poisoned Queen by Paul Doherty My rating: 3 of 5 stars I have concluded that I like the concept of the Nicholas Segalla mysteries better than I like the mysteries themselves. “In the Time of the Poisoned Queen” discusses the mystery of whether Queen Mary of England died a natural death…
-
Book review: Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell
Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell My rating: 4 of 5 stars I am late to the Bernard Cornwell fan club (many historical fiction fans have long since discovered him), but I am thrilled to have finally read one of his books, which has been on my to-be-read pile for much too long. “Azincourt” or “Agincourt” (the…
-
Chef Mavro (Honolulu)
We had one of our favorite meals when we were in Honolulu at Chef Mavro. This is the second excellent meal we’ve had there (Jim and I were there in February and had an amazing meal then as well, which is, of course, documented on the blog). We chose a modified summer menu, knowing that…
-
Book review: Cooked by Michael Pollan
Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is not the sort of book I normally read, but my husband recommended it, and his judgment on what I would like is usually impeccable. Michael Pollan divides the origin of cooking into four areas based on the four…
-
Book review: Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich My rating: 4 of 5 stars You know what you’re getting with the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich–wacky characters, hilarious dialogue, improbable mystery, and a highly entertaining read. This addition to the series is no exception. While there is continuing angst over the Morelli vs Ranger romance angle,…
-
Book review: Princess Elizabeth’s Spy by Susan MacNeal
Princess Elizabeth’s Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal My rating: 2 of 5 stars I had high hopes for this series after reading the debut novel, “Mr. Churchill’s Secretary.” Unfortunately, the second novel does not live up to the promise of the first. The prose has a simplistic tone, which made me feel like I was…
-
Book review: Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann
Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann My rating: 3 of 5 stars I’ve enjoyed Suzanne Brockmann’s romances with Navy SEALS as heroes. They are wonderful mind candy reads where you know how the story will end (happily, of course, which I don’t think is a spoiler), and it’s just a question of how the hero…
-
Book review: The God of the Hive by Laurie King
The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoy Laurie King’s series on Sherlock Holmes and his wife, Mary Russell. Her 10th book in this series is a worthy addition (which are best read in order). The main characters are well developed by this point, but…