M.A. Kropp: Writer, Blogger, GeekGirl. My Life. My Words. My Way.
You know those contest offers we all get? "Enter to win a copy of Book by Author"? And we either ignore it because "no one really wins those things" or we enter but think "I never win these things". Welp, I can't say that anymore, because I recently won a copy of the illustrated hardcover … Continue reading Winner, Winner (But Not a Chicken Dinner)
My rating: 4 of 5 starsEddie LaCrosse is a self-described sword jockey- an ex-mercenary turned investigator for hire. In this third installment of the series, Eddie is hired to investigate a possibly adulterous nobleman. Arriving at the castle of King Marcus Drake, Eddie is immediately pulled into the court intrigue when a knight is murdered … Continue reading Friday Review: Dark Jenny (Eddie LaCrosse #3) by Alex Bledsoe
As usual, I am going to recap my reading year for 2021. Every year, I set a goal of a certain number of books I want to read in that year. If I make that goal, I add one for the next year. I had a goal of 30 books in 2021, and I did … Continue reading Reading 2021
This one is one that the BaldMan got me for Christmas. It's The Annotated Brothers Grimm: The Bicentennial Edition. It's just as pretty inside as out. There are full page color illustrations, illuminated lettering, margin drawings both in color, and black and white. It's lovely. These photos are the dust jacket, book cover, and spine. … Continue reading Another Pretty Book
I love to read. That should be no surprise. There is nothing like sitting down or snuggling in bed with a good book. I read a lot. I usually have two books going at once, one downstairs and one upstairs. But along with reading good books, I also really love finding books that look beautiful. … Continue reading Books, Beautiful Books
My rating: 4 of 5 starsIf you have ever thought about going to a medium or psychic, whether you are looking for insight or are just curious, you might want to read this book first. Written by a psychic medium who has been an active professional since 1994, this book is a firsthand guide to … Continue reading Friday Review: The Psychic Yellow Brick Road: How to Find the Real Wizards and Avoid the Flying Monkeys by Corbie Mitleid
My rating: 4 of 5 starsThe Green Man is a mythic figure that recurs in many different forms in many different folklores. He goes by many names, but he is the embodiment of Nature and its power. In this anthology, Datlow and Windling have gathered some of the best fantasy writers of the day to … Continue reading Friday Review: The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, Ellen Dalow and Terri Windling, Editors
My rating: 4 of 5 starsEric Ripert is a well-known, Michelin-starred chef at one of New York's best restaurants, Le Bernardin. He grew up in the Andorra region of France, where his mother was an excellent cook, but insisted that the kitchen was no place for a boy. He adored his father and was devastated … Continue reading Friday Review: 32 Yolks: From My Mother’s Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert
My rating: 3 of 5 starsI like food. I like to eat good food (perhaps a bit too much!). So, I generally enjoy reading the stories of the people who have worked their way through the difficult journey to professional chef. And if that chef happens to be woman, all the better, because the food … Continue reading Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton
My rating: 4 of 5 starsAmanda is 23, gifted at mathematics, teaching at the local university, and living with her fiancé. She has an obsession with astronomy and what some call an overactive imagination. When she and her fiancé break up, she decides to move to a family cabin that she has loved her whole … Continue reading Friday Review: Sleepwalking Backwards by Catherine Zebrowski
And So On... 