Christmas Chocolat by Kate Defrise
Hadn't requested this book from the publisher but glad they sent it along. Starts out with a family and each of the sisters gets alternating chapters.
The father this year wants to have Christmas at his house. His wife has been gone for some time and he is still going to work and relies on others to do the family obligations each year.
One is an author, Magali who writes cookbooks and this book does have her Belgian recipes. Family dinner has always been at her house and this year she has to not only convince her other 2 sisters but she must track down her brother to come also. The sisters talk over time and some think it's to announce some bad health news while others think he's dating again...
Jacqueline is the one who lives overseas and she has concerts to perform in so there's no way she's gonna make it home. Her father visits her yearly around Thanksgiving. She has her own secret...
Next sister is Colette. She has degrees in French and English and she loves to design clothes. She makes each of her sibling an outfit for Christmas even her brother Arthur-Art. She will be out of a job by Christmas, her boyfriend left with all her furniture and money, so did the robber.
What I like about the recipes is there are hints and tips and all kinds of substitutions and she tells you that while explaining how to make the dish.
Also like that each of the sisters has a different lifestyle and it's easy to keep track of who is who. Each fears a different secret to be told by their father at their Christmas meeting...
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review
Coming home by Rosamunde Pilcher
Have read some of the author's other works and have enjoyed them.
Book starts out with one life that starts out as a young teen and her world is turned upside down.
1935 and Judith Dunbar and her friend Heather Warren are attending school where Christmas parties are just ending and they are on their way home.
Judith will not be returning once school starts in the new year. She will be going to the strict St. Elizabeth where they have uniforms and she will be a boarder. Her mother and toddler sister would return to the Far East as they join her father who's working.
Very long book but worth all the detailed descriptions of not only the surrounding countryside but her feelings along the way. Broken up into her teen years and adult years.
Story also follows people she and the family meet over the years. Love parts about knitting for the troops as I've done that recently myself.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
The guest cottage by Nancy Thayer
Have read some of the other works by the author and have enjoyed the books.
This one starts out with Sophie checking Zach, her husbands calendar on the computer-he's an architect and she thought he may have made an appointment and she had forgotten.
She noticed the abbreviation DIV and she asks him about it-he wants a divorce.
She's heading to the island, her friend has a guest cottage there and she'll have the two kids with her.
he story also follows Trevor and his son who Susie-the landlord tells her will also be at the cottage. It's a large enough place for them all.
He's lost his wife and their son is still having a hard emotional time dealing with it. Good to follow what each of them are going through and they work out problems that arise and schedules.
They are more than attracted to each other...
Two months at the beach, love the scenes with smells and sights of the island.
Amazing how things work out in the end.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Children's learning book about numbers. Imagine in the old days and no words were spoken, how could you know how many animals you had, when they leave for the fields in the morning and return at night.
Illustrations explain while the authors tell you how to use pebbles, fingers, etc to count.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Story of the crossing and landing at Plimoth, MA and how they were able to survive with help from the Indians.
Hard land and they were able to cut trees and build houses. Section tells of what chores the men have. also one from women's perspective and one from children and their work.
Glossary of words used.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Children's Books: EVERYBODY LOVES VALENTINES (Adorable, Rhyming Bedtime Story/Picture Book, for Beginner Readers, About Hearts, Valentines, Friendship, and Love, Ages 2-8)
Very colorful children's book about valentines. This story uses the letters of the word Valentine, rhyming words and each gets their own page that tells you what it means to them.
End shows other ways you can say I love You. Other works by the author are excerpted and highlighted at the end.
Potatoes, all about them by Alvin and Virginia Silverstein
Have always wanted to grow a 50 lb bag of potatoes in our garden, my parents grew them in their back yard and sold them off to others for a nice winter living several years.
Particularly like Yukon Gold where they don't need any butter even. Starts out with the history of the crop and all kinds of myths and legends about them.
Starry night planting and high tide, so much advice. Very technical explanation of the tubular plant.
Fun easy crafts and games are explained using potatoes. Have done potato printing. Also many ways to retain nutrients when cooking in various ways.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Like hearing of the Cumberland area. 3 children are to come live at the house and Miss Birdie has put personal belongings around each of their rooms with hand made quilts. Loved hearing of how she selected who would get each one.
They are to live at the lodge with their father. The housekeeper waits for them. The father works as a doctor and she may have to spend the night to tend to the children.
They are from the city and the country of Kentucky is so different. She teaches them about others, the mine and it's workings and herbs and flowers.
Mystical mysteries surround the rock house and caves of the mines as the kids try to solve it ... Interesting turn of events as they learn of the past...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
This book starts right in with the recipes. They include a photo, prep time, total time and ingredient list along with how to make the dish.
There is no nutritional information. Not sure why this is called slow cooker because some of the dishes are for drinks that take 10 minutes.
Story of two old women who are sisters, opposite of one another. They were raised with parents and a brother.
One of them had been married but her husband had died. They reminisce over the past and where to place the roses that were just delivered
as they sit on the porch. Stories of the past and when they go visit Frank in prison and their love life, mysteries surround the family.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
No comments:
Post a Comment