May’s Mutterings: Rants and Ramblings
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Book review: The Sanctity of Hate by Priscilla Royal
Sanctity of Hate by Priscilla Royal My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was beyond delighted after finishing “Sanctity of Hate.” I love this series and think very highly of the author, but the past couple of books in this series have been somewhat disappointing. This book, however, returns to the author’s usual high standards…
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Book review: The Perils of Pleasure
The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long My rating: 4 of 5 stars The ultimate in mind candy reading! But this book is surprisingly solid for a straight up historical romance. The plot is clever and well-paced. The main characters are well developed, human, and likable. And the romance, while predictable, has convincing conflicts…
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Pandas…in a Submarine
Our daughter came up with the headline for this post, and it perfectly captures the highlights of our recent trip to China and Hawaii. We started off in Beijing for a day or so, but, really, the focus of this trip was Chengdu and the Panda Breeding and Research Center. And the focus of the…
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Book review: State of the Union by Brad Thor
State of the Union by Brad Thor My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the third in a series of books revolving around Scot Harvath, former Secret Service agent and now focusing on counterterrorism. You learn a few more details about Scot’s personal life and his upbringing in this book, but the motivations and…
Got any book recommendations?