Alphabet books are such fun! Take a look at Picture a Letter, by Brad Sneed, it's a great collection of unique pictures dealing with the (all the stuff in the back ground starts with the proper letter, too).

Not only is Lena's favorite author still alive, Lena has been given the job of a life time when she is hired as her assistant. The job comes with a room in an old mansion with an interesting past. On her first day a body is found on the beach. And is what the townsfolk say about the local recluse true? A Dark and Stormy Murder, by Julia Buckley, is the first in her new series called A Writer's Apprentice Mystery.

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The Endless Steppe: Growing Up in Siberia, by Esther Hautzig, came as a recommendation from Kiwi. In 1941 the Rudomin family was arrested and exiled from their home in Poland. They would spend five grueling years in Siberia, yet even though they were always hungry and often cold, Esther found some good moments. The strength of the human spirit is remarkable!

That book inspired a return to a couple of books I read before I started my blog. The first to come was The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne. Young Bruno has moved with his family from Berlin to a strange place ... there are lots of people, but they are behind a wire fence. One day, as he is walking that fence he meets a boy his own age. A friendship develops as they learn about each other. They'd like to actually play with each other, is there room under the fence?

The second reread to go with this book trail that Kiwi started me down was Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford. There are just two Asian students at a local school in Seattle in 1942. One Chinese, one Japanese. A friendship develops, one that will last a life time. One wears a button ("I am Chinese"), one is sent away. There is a musician, and a special song. For a while the letters go back and forth, then they stop. Forty plus years later boxes of items left behind are found in the basement of a hotel and Henry Lee finds something belong to the family of the young girl he loved so long ago. Would it be possible to find her after all these years?

All these books, so well written, deal with families living somewhere not of their own choosing. They made for compelling reading.

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It'd be fun to read the Corgi Case File mysteries, by J.M. Poole close to the holiday they were written around, but I'm not willing to wait! An exhibit of a collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts currently on tour coincides with Halloween. A valuable pendant goes missing. A mummy is found in a corn maze. How can the Corgi dogs help this time? Find out in Case of the Fleet-Footed Mummy. :-)

Christmas is coming to Pomme Valley. Decorations are going up, presents are being purchased ... and someone is breaking into houses and stealing the gifts from under the tree. There is no sign of forced entry so how do they get in? Loved the twist with names here! Case of the Holiday Hijinks, by J.M. Poole might be a Christmas mystery, but there's no reason you can't read it now!

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It's been years, make that decades, since I read any Tony Hillerman so was intrigued when Tall Reader brought over a book by his daughter, Anne! Cave of Bones: a Leaphorn, Chee & Manuletio Novel, by Anne Hillerman was excellent! I especially loved the descriptions of terrain that is so foreign to me .... instead of hills and trees and water it was all rugged, dry, and the result of eons of lava flows. Oh, and good characters and mystery, too. ;-)

Murder at Maypole Manor (Posie Parker Mystery #3), by L.B. Hathaway, is a classic, cozy mystery. There's an isolated mansion, a blizzard, a party of 12, the phone lines are out, and a stranger appears at the door! It's all here! Not everyone is as they appear (of course), there is a twist to the family hosting the party, and the house has something new: central heat! A great read whether in front of the fire or on the beach.

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The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder, by Rachel McMillan is on of those nice period mysteries. It's set in Toronto in 1910 and two young women are defying convention by not getting married, living away from their families, and investigating crimes! One of the main characters is a Sherlock Holmes fan and I enjoyed the little nods to that ... there is a wonderful housekeeper, and even a spin on the Baker Street Irregulars. Loved the reactions when it is discovered that they young women are (gasp) wearing trousers! This is the first of the Herringford & Watts Mysteries.

I didn't wait long to read the second Herringford & Watts Mysteries book: A Lesson in Love & Murder, by Rachel McMillan. This time the hunt for those responsible for setting off bombs in Toronto leads to Chicago, Emma Goldman, and anarchists. There is a possible plot to assassinate Theodore Roosevelt as well. Again, a nice period feel and historic details. What's been additional fun here, is this series is set at the same time as the Murdoch Mysteries, by Maureen Jennings. I've read all the books in this series and am now enjoying the tv series (which airs in the U.S. as The Artful Detective).

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Here's another fun read about Disney and the magical worlds he created: Inside the Disney Parks: the Happiest Places on Earth. It is from Life books so the pictures are excellent, and I enjoyed the little 'secrets' found throughout. While I knew that there are Mickey Mouse images hidden ... in the landscaping, or in the design of a fence, etc., I did not know one should also look for Donald Duck!

How many notes does it take for you to recognize Amazing Grace? It's a tune that is found world wide, but might not have ever been written had John Newton's life gone differently than it did. Amazing Grace: the Story of America's Most Beloved Song, by Steve Turner is a biography of him and a history of the song. With little chance at an education, John Newton was destined for a life at sea. He often purposely caused problems on ships, he drank and 'fraternized with the locals' ... but eventually ended up as a priest, writing hymns! His most popular would be used in church, in revival meetings, as a gospel song, a folk song, and even as a pop hit. And don't forget the bagpipe version!

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I loved this book! Icons of England, edited by Bill Bryson, is a collection of short essays about what makes England England, and not the obvious like the Tower of London, and so forth. It's all about fields and weather, cows, trees, beaches ... and the difference between rabbits and hares. The more I read, the more charmed I became.

Corgi dogs are popular at the moment! Here's the first in another series featuring this breed: Case of the One-Eyed Tiger, by J.M. Poole. (The Corgi Case Files). The death of his wife and an unexpected inheritance sends Zack Anderson to a small town in Oregon. He is most surprised to be arrested for murder on his first day ... who is framing him, and why? He reconnects with a former classmate (voted most likely to end up behind bars), now a vet who houses the local rescue dogs. Zack has never had a dog, does not want a dog, knows better than to make eye contact with a dog ... but, well, we all know how this is going to end! The little dog, named Sherlock, will lead the way to finding clues ... just a great read!

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Escaping Peril, is the eighth in the Wings of Fire books by Tui T. Sutherland. Another exciting installment in this grand adventure, there are curious new developments dealing with talents long thought to be lost, and life changing decisions affecting one dragonet in particular. (Can't say too much here, I promised no spoilers)! I love the themes of friendship and loyalty ... and sadness too, such as feeling like you don't belong ... wonderful character interaction here.

Traitorous Toys is the second in Mildred Abbott's Cozy Corgi Mystery series. Christmas is coming and Fred (short for Winifred) is looking forward to getting her bookstore up and running by the new year. That all comes to a halt when she and her new friend find a body in the toy store. He seemed like such a nice guy, why would anyone want him dead? There's an interesting method of death this time.

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Marigolds and Murder, by London Lovett is also the first of a series, in this case a Port Danby Cozy Mystery. It's one of those set in a small town, in this case a very small town. Lacey is one of those with a super sense of smell and she ends up helping the one local detective solve the murder. Also, there is a crow, who is a pet (by his choice, he's not caged), who may be my favorite character!

Would you ever combine bacon and popcorn? That's the newest twist to gourmet popcorn (there's a recipe) in the second Popcorn Shop Mystery series by Kristi Abbott: Pop Goes the Murder. A persistent ex-husband (and well known chef) has come to town to film a segment of his show. The plot thickens when his assistant is found dead in the tub in the hotel. To further complicate things the wife of the police officer in charge (and sister to the main character) is pregnant. Very pregnant.

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Have you traveled to faraway places where you forgot to not drink the water, or eat fruit washed in said water and experienced Montezuma's Revenge? Just how did he get associated with tummy distress? Find out in How King Montezuma Got His Revenge, by Annalisa Nash Fernandez with illustrations by Pilar Castillo Layos. History and humor combined with actual Aztec artwork made this a fun read. Don't miss the disclaimer at the end with other names for enterotoxigenic bacteria!

I remember A Great Big Ugly Man Came Up and Tied His Horse to Me, from it was first published and when I saw it recently when I was looking something else up, I had to smile ... and then use it here! It is a collection of nonsense verse with illustrations by Wallace Trip. I seem to remember one about eating your peas with honey .... ! :-)

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One of the series written by Kylie Logan is her League of Literary Ladies mysteries. These are fun as each title is a twist on a familiar book and then there are references to that book in the mystery. Gone With the Twins is no different. (See how many 'nods' to Gone With the Wind you can find)! This time though, there is no lack of suspects ... seems a lot of people had issues with the victim. Narrowing down that list made for a nice cozy read.

Florrie Fox never imagined her move into the converted carriage house of the historic home of Professor John Maxwell would cause so much chaos. She works in a book store, and likes to design coloring books for grownups, after all! Still, it does seem to be a catalyst of some sort and soon a body is discovered, a famous author goes missing, and angry relatives appear. Color Me Murder, by Krista Davis, is a fun start to her new series A Pen & Ink Mystery.

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Here's a book for younger readers ... Women In Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World, written and illustrated by Rachel Ignotofsky. The writing is excellent and the mini-bios of each women are very interesting, but I, personally, found the layout distracting. (Pictures, side bits of information, etc.) I am sure it's a sign of my age, however, and that readers that have grown up with graphic novels and so forth will thoroughly enjoy this book!

As much as I am not a cook I picked up Grilled Cheese Kitchen: Bread & Cheese & Everything In Between, by Heidi Gibson with Nate Pollock, and photographs by Antonis Achilleos anyway. My favorite comfort food is a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of cream of tomato soup. This is that old standby taken to the extreme! There's more than just sandwiches, too, recipes includes soups, stews, mac & cheese, even ideas for breakfast. I'm thinking I will pass the book on to my cooking friends with some strategically placed bookmarks. :-)

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I am putting book seven of Wings of Fire and the new Anna Lee Huber book together here because they both deal with family: parents disappointed with their children, and yet, that is the offspring who goes looking for the missing, lost, or kidnapped family member. Winter Turning, by Tui T. Sutherland continues the story of the dragonets at Jade Mountain Academy. There are some fascinating new characters as well as that pesky new prophecy to deal with. Just a great adventure.

A Brush with Shadows, by Anna Lee Huber, is another in the Lady Darby Mystery series. Sebastian and Kiera have been called home by an ailing grandfather to learn that the heir to the estate has gone missing and it is up to them to find him. There is a reason it's been fifteen years since Sebastian was here, and it's not a happy one. The past may not be what you think it was. Trusted staff may not be so trustworthy. This was a complicated twist of emotions and mystery ... and a compelling read. I loved the description of the moors.

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