Burial Rites

In Burial Rites, Agnes Magnusdottir's story begins in her Icelandic prison cell and ends on a frigid January morning in 1830 - her head impaled on a stake and her body buried in an unmarked grave as a warning to all harboring ill-intent. The trial had been swift; Agnes, a neighboring farmhand and his fiancee were found guilty of murder. The punishment severe; Agnes and the farmhand were sentenced to death, the other woman to life imprisonment. But what drove Agnes, a 34 year old servant and field hand documented as having an "excellent intellect, and strong knowledge and understanding of Christianity," to assist in the brutal stabbing death of her employer?

Lost Cat

Lost Cat : A True Story of Love, Desperation and GPS Technology celebrates the power of curiosity in felines and their human companions with style, wit and wisdom.

A long-time resident of San Francisco, author Caroline Paul is at home 24/7 slowly recuperating from injuries sustained in a plane crash with kitties Tibby and Fibby supervising her convalescence in their own distinctive styles. But suddenly Tibby disappears, only to return five weeks later looking definitely a bit plumper, silkier, and even a bit sleeker. The vet confirmed a full 1/2 lb. of extra avoirdupois (or in  Tibby's view, avoirdupaws.) Where had he been? And would he leave again for another grand sojourn? Caroline was desperate to find out, so "Operation Chasing Tibby" commenced. Weeks later, using both tried and true methods and brand new technologies - fliers, a noted tied to his collar, a pet psychic, an animal communications class, a GPS tracking device and a special CATCAM - Caroline had her answers.

The short text is packed with ink and wash drawings by Caroline's partner, Wendy McNaughton. They are fantastic, hilarious and whimsical - the purrfect illustrative catnip to the narrative.

RR @ RR

Earthly Delights

Corinna Chapman, heroine of Kerry Greenwood's Earthly Delights, thought that she had left life’s complications far behind her when she packed her suitcase. After exiting her high-stress accounting job and her toxic relationship to pursue the dream of starting her own bakery, all Corinna wanted was a simpler way of living centered on building a small business and creating tasty treats. The reality isn’t quite that simple.

Before she knows it, she finds herself transplanted to a highly irregular apartment building in a gritty Melbourne district with tenants including a professor, two aspiring daytime TV actresses, a witch for hire, and a gardener. She’s also been receiving mysterious, threatening letters in the mail at her new address. As if this chaos were not enough, all kinds of unusual people have started to pop up at the bakery--one of them nearly dies outside the shop, and another (more handsome) stranger turns out to be a private investigator. Are any of these odd developments related, and if so, how?

Readers will find that Corinna’s new life contains all the ingredients for adventure, danger, and fun. This is a great, light read with plenty of mystery, romance, and--most importantly--recipes. Especially recommended for fans of Greenwood’s Miss Fisher Murder Mystery series; while the Corinna Chapman mysteries do have a contemporary setting, the same wry wit and sharp humor carry over without missing a beat.

Book Review: The Martian

Mark Watney thinks Mars is trying to kill him. And he's probably right. First, there is his injury. The lack of supplies. The inability to communicate with Earth, to tell them that he is, in fact, alive. Andy Weir's debut novel The Martian is the story of an astronaut left behind.

During a terrible dust storm Mark is hit with debris and presumed dead; the rest of the Ares crew forced to leave while they still can. He wakes up and finds himself "in command" and the "King of Mars". He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants to do it. Day by day (sol by sol) Mark does his best MacGyver impression and while it is a technical story, his sarcastic sense of humor carries the reader through life threatening situations with style. Sure, he could OD on morphine right away, but he could also grow food, drive rovers around, and name mountains. Offhand comments on government overspending, the many uses of duct tape, and his downtime entertainment options contribute to a great scifi thriller. From the very first sentence, you will be rooting for Mark.

-Elizabeth