Books read Dec 14

Christmas Sauna Traditions by Joanne Kaattari
Annual tradition for the people of Finland to have a sauna with a feast as well.
I had no idea what to expect from this book but glad I got a chance to read it because I like to learn new things about others.
What a fun night this sounds like, so glad there are also recipes to share with us.
Several pictures are included and there are tips along the way. Love hearing the sauna rules and especially about the ice candles. Such treasured traditions, thanks so much for sharing them.
Other excerpts by the author are included at the end of her other books.
 

The old Tree by Tricia Martin
It's summer and Mike has a new neighbor, Mari. He has been to the park many times and has seen something strange with the old tree.
He starts discovering more about it and goes inside the tree where it appears to be huge inside-much larger than the outside depicts. He shares the secret with Mari and she also goes inside to investigate.
An old family friend Bob has come to visit with her father and he's part of the old tree as well. They travel to his world and become acquainted with their ways and how to defend with things they are given.
They meet many others, in different forms and follow their lead to the battle-to rid the world of evil. They are not to despair and must have hope to win all battles..
Mike loved his new adventure and can't wait for the next one...
Loved the descriptions and the action involved.

The Christmas Garland by Anne Perry
India 1837-This story starts out with Lt. Narraway and he's been given an assignment-to be the lawyer for the soldier who's being charged with murder.
He goes to visit him in jail and John Tallis claims he is not guilty of the crime and tells the lt. what happened the night in question.
He then cycles it through his mind and tries to figure out different angles and how things could've been.
He also questions the others and their story is pretty much the same, different words. At the end he goes back to the house where the father lived and meets the little girl and the blue chain she has made with her mother.
He plays with her and has a meal and then must leave-he may have found the answer...

20 Minute Express Recipes for Busy People by Ericka Smits
Love the tips at the very beginning on how to get out of the kitchen preparing quick nutritious meals.
Each chapter/category also has the listings of recipes so you can glance through and find one with the ingredients you have on hand.
Love this book because it also lists the nutrition labels!!!!
French toast wins out for us also as it's 0 cholesterol.
Grilled cauliflower sounds enticing enough to try also as we try to eat healthier.
Pictures of the dishes made are a nice touch.
 

Against the Edge by Kat Martin
Ben Slocum has fathered a child he didn't know he had and here is Claire the social worker-friend of the mother who's passed away informing him the child's been kidnapped.
Love this series and the meticulous thinking and uncovering clues to find the child. He's an ex-Seal and has friends that are as highly trained as him.
Love catching up with the others in the family and the travel involved as the main focus takes you places you've never been.
Caring story as the father's never known of the 9 year old existence nor death of the woman he knew. Claire tells me of other things as time goes on making that a mystery in itself.
Hot steamy sex as the trail leads them to more places to explore.
The trail leads them to a guy in jail and that leads them to more places...
The story also follows the group that took the child and what they are up against and what happens on their way to escape...
Action really escalates after she tells them some of her secrets.

The Vineyard by Barbara Delinsky
I had read this book before but never reviewed it. What I like is learning new things: about the vineyard and there is a bit of romance and travel which adds up to a really good book for me.
This is set in my back yard so it really makes sense to me. This is a story of a woman who's lost her husband-she runs a vineyard and has workers that do the main work. The grown children don't live nearby but she's sent them a note that she's getting married with the invitation.
During the summer she plans to write her memoirs. She's hired a woman with a disabled child to help with that task. Love learning about the photographer, restoration work, grapes and vineyard, weather that effects their potential success and the n'easters and hurricanes.
Love the different angles of the relationships, the pressures each of them are up against-not due to just the wedding but their lives. This book covers all this and much more.