Haunted by James Patterson

I have never read a James Patterson book in my life. I never thought I would ever read a James Patterson book. Nothing against Mr. Patterson, but it is not a genre that is at the top of my reading list. That being said, there was something about the book description that caught my imagination when I was reading it on our library website; and, now having read the book. I feel my curiosity was rewarded.
In the case of this Patterson book, Haunted, it is the tenth book of the Michael Bennett series. Jumping into an author, and a series, might seem risky, but with Patterson it was very easy to do. He starts his book with enough review of the characters to have you feeling like you know where they came from, but at the same time it doesn't feel repetitious. You can get right into the story. With Haunted you end up in a town in Maine that is dealing with missing kids, dead bodies and the start of a drug war. That is a lot of issues, but again, it is nothing a Patterson-newbie can't handle. You are nicely lead through the story.
I liked the characters - the bad people are bad when they are supposed to be, and the good people are good enough to get the job done. Haunted comes to a pleasing conclusion, but at the same time, there is enough foreshadowing to let you know there will be a book 11 if you are interested. I doubt that I will go back and catch up with 1-9, but there is a chance I will read number 11 somewhere down the road.

Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir by Amy Tan

Tan’s new memoir demonstrates that strength and resilience can triumph against all odds.  Having lost both her father and older brother within 6 months of each other when Tan was fifteen, she manages to cope by dedicating and empathizing with her mother despite her mother’s constant threats of suicide.  Tan shares her family history and cultural heritage through letters, documents and photos.  It was fascinating to learn about her maternal grandmother’s life in China and Tan’s mother life in Shanghai…  There are lots of details that helped me understand how being raised by immigrant Chinese parents and having to live up to high expectations impact Tan as a writer.  I enjoyed the chapter on the nuances of language and was touched by Tan’s relationship with her mother towards the end of her life.

The Perfect Cookie by America's Test Kitchen

This wonderful cookbook features recipes for everything from favorite cookie jar classics to new and unique cookies, brownies, and bars.  It includes step-by-step instructions, techniques, and beautiful photos for every recipe.  There are also some great tips that I think even an experienced baker can appreciate.  Though I don’t often buy a cookbook for my personal collection at home, this one is definitely going to be added to my wish list! 

Piecing Makeover by Patty Murphy

Quilters -- here's a book for you!  Are your star or triangle points getting cut off?  Does your block end up slightly the wrong size?  Do you have a bunch of bulk where seams meet?  Do you dread Y-seams?  This book has many great tips on basic quilting problems, from block piecing to sashing to borders.  If you have a specific skill you'd like to improve, or just want an overall refresher course, this is a great book to check out.

The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff

During World War II a Dutch girl, Noa, is impregnated by a German soldier.  Thrown out of her home by her father she is forced to give up her baby and finds work cleaning in a rail station.  Discovering a boxcar full of Jewish babies, many of them dead, she snatches a live baby and flees into the cold, snowy night. Noa is rescued by a circus performer and eventually becomes part of a German circus as an aerialist. Though not welcomed at first by Astrid, a superb acrobat who is forced to train her, a great friendship develops between the two women. Astrid has secrets and has found refuge in the circus.  The circus travels and puts on many performances but dangers abound even as people flock to the circus for entertainment and relief from the oppression of war. The story of these two women and other characters in this book is a historical novel of sacrifice and survival, one that sticks in my memory and I enjoyed.

The Best Land Under Heaven by Michael Wallis

As we head into November, cold weather is upon us and the holidays are near which means eating with family. A book to consider as it certainly ties-in is The Best Land Under Heaven by Michael Wallis. In his book,Wallis looks at the Donner Party, cold weather and the eating of family members - pretty close if you ask me.
Tales of the Donner Party have filled our history. It is one of pioneers heading west, getting lost and turning to cannibalism to stay alive. With his book, Wallis looks in detail at the make-up of the party and just what went wrong that led to its disastrous end.
What I like about Wallis' book is his exploration of the personalities of the Donner Party - who got along and who didn't. He takes that a step further in looking at what roll this played in the decisions made by the group. He also explores negative outside influences and bad advice that plagues the group and eventually led to deaths of several of its members.
And of course there is the cannibalism. Wallis looks at who died and who was actually eaten. There is even a chart at the end of the story that goes family-by-family and looks at who died so that others might live. He further explores the after-effects of the party's members who were labeled as man-eaters for the rest of their lives.
Wallis' The Best Land Under Heaven may make you a bit queasy, but it is a fresh look at one of the dark chapters of our country's pioneer history.

Frog Trouble by Sandra Boynton

I checked out this book with music to listen to with my granddaughter. I was first attracted to it because I saw that the performing artists were all country singers. Among them were Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, two names I recognized. We both thoroughly enjoyed all the songs, but my favorite was Beautiful Baby because I thought it described my granddaughter to a T. The author, Sandra Boynton, wrote the lyrics, and she, with the help of Michael Ford wrote the music. The songs were then recorded in Nashville with the renowned artists. The book was delightful too, with illustrations in the front with the musical melodies printed out for you, and pictures and blurbs of each musical artist in the back. Loved it!