May's Mutterings

May’s Mutterings: Rants and Ramblings

  • Movie review: Jurassic World

    If what you’re looking for is a roller coaster thrill ride of a movie (especially one that contains dinosaurs), “Jurassic World” is the movie for you. For those of you who have seen “Jurassic Park,” the plot will seem hauntingly familiar, but this time, the dinosaurs are bigger, badder, and as one of the characters…

  • book review: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

    Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the first in a mystery series that takes place after World War I in Britain. I really loved this book. Maisie Dobbs is an intrepid young woman who, through intelligence and hard work and determination, moves from the lower class into the…

  • book review: Covenant with Hell by Priscilla Royal

    Covenant with Hell by Priscilla Royal My rating: 4 of 5 stars If you’ve read my reviews of Priscilla Royal’s previous 9 books, you know that I love this series. This 10th addition to the series is no exception. The book takes place at Our Lady of Walsingham shrine, and there is a lot of…

  • book review: Sup with the Devil by Barbara Hamilton

    Sup with the Devil by Barbara Hamilton My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is book #3 in a historical mystery series with Abigail Adams as the protagonist. I have enjoyed this series immensely so far, and this book is no exception. A student at Harvard College has been murdered, and his slave is accused…

  • A B’Not Mitzvah in St. Thomas

    A close friend of our son’s held her bat mitzvah in St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands) at the site of a historic Jewish synagogue first built in the late 1700s. Her younger sister was having her bat mitzvah at the same time (the plural of bat mitzvah being b’not mitzvah, which is pretty much the…

  • book review: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

    Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is a very thoughtful look at how we are dealing with the elderly as they age and grow more infirm. The first half of the book deals with alternative (and better) options to nursing homes…

  • book review: The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton

    The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Tiger Queens” covers the lives of four influential women in Genghis Khan’s life–his first wife, Borte; one of his daughters, Alaqai; a Persian captive, Fatima; and one of his daughters-in-law, Sorkhokhtani. By doing so, the book covers the…

  • (frivolous) beauty products review

    This is a completely frivolous review of recent discoveries of various beauty products (all of which can be blamed on various Facebook friends who not only like perfume but makeup and skincare products as well—you know who you are!). That being said, I have made some fabulous discoveries of products that I didn’t even realize…

  • Movie review: Avengers: Age of Ultron

    I confess I have a tremendous weakness for movies with lots of explosions and clever banter where the plot is optional (it helps to have eye candy as well). The latest Avengers movie meets the criteria perfectly in all ways. I saw this movie with the gaggle on Mother’s Day (a perfect Mother’s Day gift!)…

  • Restaurant review: Taillevent (Paris)

    In keeping with our gastronomical march through Paris, we also dined at Taillevent, a 2 star Michelin restaurant. The atmosphere at Taillevent is very different than Guy Savoy. Whereas dining at Guy Savoy is like going to a show, Taillevent is a quieter, more intimate atmosphere. Dining at Taillevent is like dining at a friend’s…

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