New Mysteries

      The psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis return to solve another appalling murder in Killer: an Alex Delaware Novel, written by Jonathan Kellerman. Two women, physician Constance Sykes and her sister Cherie, fight for custody of Cherie’s daughter. Alex is called in to evaluate the child’s psychological well-being and the fitness of the mother to retain guardianship of her child. Alex rules in the mother’s favor. Constance exacts revenge by taking out a hit on Alex. Discovering this, Milo moves in on Constance, only to find out that she’s been murdered. Has Cherie killed her, or someone else? Then, Cherie and her daughter disappear. As usual, the murderer is not who we think it is. Quick plot twists and lots of action keep the reader moving towards the satisfying conclusion.

        I’ve Got You under my Skin, written by Mary Higgins Clark, presents another youthful heroine, Laurie Moran, who is a television producer and single mother. When Laurie’s husband was murdered five years ago the killer told her son that he would be back to kill them both. Laurie’s father, a retired NYPD official, spends his days trying to protect them. Laurie starts production of her new reality show based on true crime, cold-case murders. The first episode to be filmed is about the murder of a wealthy Westchester socialite after she had hosted a college graduation party for her daughter and her three friends. The principal players from twenty years ago are invited back to recreate the murder scene. Old animosities reappear and tensions arise; the murderer from twenty years ago is among this group and will strike again. Meanwhile, Laurie’s husband’s murderer shows up too. Action, suspense and romance make this an enjoyable read.

 

Crafted by Hand

Crafting can be the act of expressing yourself while creating an object to satisfy a physical need. The following books show the beauty of crafts when they combine excellence of design with function.

Beautiful LEGO, written by LEGO artist Mike Doyle, is a collection of color photos illustrating the works of eighty artists whose works range from realistic to abstract. Brief biographical interviews with the artists also are included.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Making Metal Jewelry, written by Nancy Lee, guides the beginner through the setup of a workspace, including selection of tools and equipment. The reader then learns about the qualities of the metals and how to manipulate them, followed by instruction on adding textures, colors, gems and more. Complete instructions for ten projects are included.

Fabrigami: the Origami Art of Folding Cloth to Create Decorative and Useful Objects is written by Jill Stovall and others. Color photos and detailed diagrams teach the reader how to create fun, imaginative objects suitable for gifts or home décor.

Woodworking Techniques: Projects for the First-Time Woodworker is written by John Kelsey. Learn the seven fundamental woodworking skills, and then jump right in by choosing one or all of the twenty-three projects presented. Color photos aid in the presentation.

Zany Wooden Toys Reloaded!: More Wild Projects from the Toy Inventor’s Workshop is written by Bob Gilsdorf. After a brief review of woodworking basics, the reader is presented with eight projects, each including a list of the necessary materials and tools, patterns and diagrams, color photos and ideas on how to play with the toys.

New Gardening Books

Spring is here and with it the time to prep your flower and vegetable gardens. Here are some newly published books on this topic.

Gardening for the Birds: How to Create a Bird-Friendly Backyard is written by George Martin Adams. Create a natural ecosystem to attract and sustain birds, anywhere in North America. This guide is a complete source of information about plants and birds, using text, charts and photos.

All New Square Foot Gardening: the Revolutionary Way to Grow More in Less Space is written by Mel Bartholomew. Learn to set up a square foot garden, a grid-based method that produces large yields with less work. The book also provides information on vertical gardening and gardening with children.

How to Eradicate Invasive Plants is written by Teri Dunn Chace. Ranging from annuals, perennials, grasses, vines and trees, invasive plants can play havoc with our native landscape. Information on 200 of these plants, including photos, helps the gardener choose eradication options whether they be organic or safe use of chemicals.

Plantiful: Start Small, Grow Big with 150 Plants that Spread, Self-Sow, and Overwinter is written by Kristin Green. Expand your flower gardens with plants that spread, self-sow and overwinter. Plant profiles are provided, along with gardening tips and design ideas.

The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener: How to Grow Food in Harmony with Nature is written by Tammi Hartung. A hardy vegetable garden and native wildlife can co-exist using these methods: smart planting, attracting helpful insects and pollinators, intentional creation of habitats for helpful wildlife and more. Also included are appendices of resources and remedies.

An Amish Garden: a Year in the Life of an Amish Garden is written by Laura Anne Lappe. This is a journal of an Amish woman, her family and her six gardens. Following the calendar year and through her writings and photos, we view the planning, soil preparation, planting, maintenance, harvest, and preservation of the food.

Grow More with Less: Sustainable Garden Methods for Great Landscapes with Less Water, Less Work, Less Money is written by Vincent A. Simeone. Create a home landscape that cooperates with nature. Learn about the best plant selection, integrated pest management, conservation of water, and other green gardening tips. A list of garden resources and plant sources is included.

Mister Owita’s Guide to Gardening: How I Learned the Unexpected Joy of a Green Thumb and an Open Heart is written by Carol Wall. The book describes how a period of transition in the journalist author’s life marked by her empty nest, a recent illness and her aging parents led her to forge a deep friendship with a gifted Kenyan gardener with whom she transformed her yard and shared long-buried secrets.

More Sizzling Stories: Erotic Novels for Adults Only

Here are some more erotic novels, both classic and new.

Fear of Flying: a Novel is written by Erica Jong. Even in a time when women are still sexually repressed, Isadora Wing wishes to “fly free” with a man who completes her every fantasy.

Tremble: Erotic Tales of the Mystical and Sinister is written by Tobsha Learner. Erotica for the modern woman: nine tales of the dangerous and divine. Prepare to stimulate your senses and explore the deepest longings of the human heart. In a Welsh village, a young woman’s sensuality is awakened by an outrageous inheritance; a drought-stricken Oklahoma town is offered salvation by a traveling rainmaker; a Sydney record producer struggles to satisfy his wife and his mistress – until one of them takes matters into her own hands.

Sugar is written by Jenna Jameson and Hope Tarr. An ex-porn star moves to New York, hoping to escape her salacious past, but soon meets a returned war hero –now prominent investment CEO – who gives her a new sexual awakening.

The Submissive is written by Tara Sue Me. Longing to make her secret fantasies a sensual reality, librarian Abby King offers herself to Nathaniel West, a sexy and skilled dominant seeking a new submissive, and as he introduces her to a new world of pleasure, she longs for something more with this man who remains cold and distant.

Naked is written by Raine Miller. Student and model Brynne Bennett is captivated by Ethan Blackstone, the businessman who purchases her nude portrait, but the passionate relationship that develops may not be able to withstand the secrets they both carry.

Sizzling Stories: Erotic Novels for Adults Only

For February, the month of romance, Monika presents a selection of erotic novels for your reading pleasure.

Dirty Rotten Liar is written by Noire. When Mink LaRue is called away to be with her dying mother, interrupting her con on the rich Dominion family, Dy-Nasty Jenkins, who looks exactly like Mink, tries to take up the mantle and steal the money for herself.

Rush is written by Maya Banks. A first entry in a new trilogy by the author of the Sweet series features three wealthy and powerful men including Gabe, whose resolve to make his fantasies come true with his best friend’s once-forbidden younger sister leads to an intense sexual odyssey that becomes subject to a cruel betrayal.

My Education is written by Susan Choi. Warned about the controversial and womanizing activities of Professor Nicholas Brodeur before her arrival at his prestigious university, graduate student Regina Gottlieb is nevertheless captured by his charisma and good looks before falling prey to his volatile wife in ways that resonate throughout subsequent years.

Ours to Love is written by Shayla Black. When beautiful London McLane gets involved with billionaire playboy brothers Xander and Javier Santiago, she becomes a pawn in a killer’s twisted game to destroy everything the brothers hold dear.

Pride and Pleasure is written by Sylvia Day. Thief taker Jasper Bond was not what heiress Eliza Martin was expecting when she placed her advertisement for an investigator, so it is up to Jasper to prove to her that he is the man to find the person threatening her and possibly more.

Decadence is written by Eric Jerome Dickey. Successful writer Nia struggles with her turbulent emotions and contemplates her prospects for marriage and parenthood while immersing herself in a hedonistic role-playing resort that challenges her grasp on reality.

On Dublin Street is written by Samantha Young. When Jocelyn leaves her tragic past behind and moves to Scotland, she meets Braden Carmichael, who is determined to get Jocelyn into his bed, despite Jocelyn’s hesitancy to get into a relationship.

Cold Weather Cooking

Winter’s frigid temperatures inspire the chef in all of us to prepare meals of hearty soups and stews. Some books that can help are:

Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way is written by Oretta Zanini De Vita, an Italian pasta authority and Maureen B. Fant, an American who has lived in Rome for 30 years. The book contains 150 recipes for sauces, soups and homemade pastas; special attention is given to which shape pasta goes with which sauce or soup. Several illustrations and color photos add to the cooking experience.

Zuppe: Soups from the Kitchen of the American Academy in Rome, Rome Sustainable Food Project, is written by Mona Talbott, an executive chef at the Rome Sustainable Food Project and a Chez Panisse graduate. She has created recipes for 50 soups that use local, organic ingredients that are presented in seasonal order. Her soups for winter include Potato and Chickpea Soup, Chestnut and Pumpkin Soup, and Lentil and Carrot Soup.

Soup of the Day: (365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year) is written by Kate McMillan, who is a chef, owner of a catering company and cooking school instructor based in California. Her recipes also are geared toward season and feature those for special occasions, those made with leftovers, and more. Ideas for garnishes and serving are given. Accompanying color photos complete the presentation.

Weight Watchers One Pot Cookbook features a collection of 300 main dish recipes, including casseroles, pastas, soups and stews, and stir-fries. All require just one pot and easy-to-buy, healthy ingredients. More than 100 color photos, and nutritional information including PointsPlus values, are given.

Holiday Fiction: Christmas Romances

    Anytime is the right time for romance, especially at Christmas. Here are some new stories, some written by your favorite authors.

    Candlelight Christmas: the Lakeshore Chronicles is written by Susan Wiggs. Logan, a single father with a son, invites family and friends to his home at Willow Lake for Christmas. Then he meets his sister’s best friend, Darcy, also a veteran of a broken marriage. Can this romance survive? (Christmas recipes also included).

    Christmas in Snowflake Canyon is written by RaeAnne Thayne. Wealthy Genevieve is running from her philandering fiancé; her father insists she marry him or he will disinherit her. Then she meets up with returning wounded veteran Dylan. Will he be her true love?

    The Dogs of Christmas is written by W. Bruce Cameron. When Josh takes ownership of some abandoned puppies he consults with staff of the local animal shelter for advice. This is where he meets Kerri, a volunteer. Romance ensues.

    Merry Christmas, Cowboy is written by Janet Dailey. Denver police officer Paula Lewis volunteers at the Christmas House to help local children, where she is drawn to local rancher Zach Bennett, as they work together to help a young boy.

    No Place like Home contains four Christmas novellas in one book: Linda Lael Miller’s The 24 Days of Winter; Mary Carter’s The Christmas Carousel; Laura Florand’s A Rose in Winter; and Kat Martin’s Christmas Angel.