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For Everything a Season: Simple Musings on Living Well
For Everything a Season
by Philip Gulley
Although For Everything a Season is written by a Quaker pastor, this book is not a devotional or a Bible study. It is relatively short and could be devoured in one sitting or, as I preferred, by reading a chapter or two every few evenings or so. It is calming, soothing, and yet humorous. The kind of humor that makes you nod and smile and occasionally let a laugh bubble over. It is filled with anecdotes about people he knows, about the way things used to be, and his own responses to life. Gulley is the kind of person you would like to converse with as he sits in the porch rocker and you gently sway on the swing and reminisce.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Nonfiction, Essays, Short Stories, Inspirational, Christian
Publication: 1999—Multnomah Publishers
Memorable Lines:
We embrace our children, but there comes the time to step aside and let others love them, too…They do not love our children as much as we do, but they love them in ways we cannot. It is not possible for us to give our children all the love they need. We can only give them so much, then must send them forth so that others might embrace them too.
As a Quaker, I am compelled to embrace certain virtues I would not otherwise find attractive. Since Quakers are pacifists, I can’t fight with anyone. By and large, this has not been a problem, except once when I had a mean boss and wanted to punch him in the nose but couldn’t because I was a Quaker. Instead I quit and found a new job. But there for a while, I wished I were a Baptist.
Regarding simplicity…We also believe if you have to cram your sweaters in the dresser drawer, you have too many sweaters and should give some away. Episcopalians believe you should buy a bigger dresser.
Murder is the Main Course–cooking up suspense!
Murder is the Main Course
by Shawn Reilly Simmons
Action explodes in Murder is the Main Course as Penelope, head chef on the set of The Turn of the Screw, enters the walk-in freezer in darkness only to encounter a hanging body. Has she discovered a suicide or a murder? This mystery by Shawn Reilly Simmons continues with non-stop intrigue in a tale you won’t want to put down. Characters include an assortment of actors, cooks, waiters and law enforcement. Although the cast of characters is large, it is easy to remember the individual characters. The setting is small town Forrestville, Indiana, where everyone knows everyone else and history is important. Grab a copy of this cozy mystery and get ready for suspense.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery, General Fiction (Adult)
Notes: #4 in the Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series; could be read as a standalone
Publication: May 2, 2017—Henery Press
When the Grits Hit the Fan–cozy mystery with a touch of thriller
When the Grits Hit the Fan
by Maddie Day
There is a little initial background, setting the scene for small town Indiana with a country store/café, Pans ‘N Pancakes, that appeals to both tourists and locals. We meet many of the characters as described through the eyes of owner Robbie Jordan. Only a few chapters into When the Grits Hit the Fan, a crime is discovered. The storyline moves along well, as any good cozy mystery should, until about one-third of the way into the book. Then, hold on to your hat! The plot becomes twisted and tangled, the tension increases exponentially, and you won’t want to put this book down.
If you are a “foodie,” you will enjoy the culinary descriptions, but they at no time overpower the mystery. Recipes are a bonus at the end of the book, including one shared by Georgeanne Ross, the Original Grit Girl, whose ground corn products are highly sought out by chefs and restauranteurs across the country.
Interesting characters and setting, suspense, a little romance, food, and Indiana dialogue combine into a cozy mystery you won’t want to miss!
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: This is the third book in the Country Store Mystery Series, but it worked well for me as a standalone. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Biscuits and Slashed Browns, but I was unable to locate the anticipated publication date.
Publication: March 28, 2017–Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
A lot of people my age mostly read on their tablets, but I liked the heft of a real book in my hands, another way I was an anachronism in my generation. The smell of the paper, the crack of the binding, even the cover art–all of it appealed to me.
As usually happened, the repetitive motion of physical work, whether removing rubble or preparing biscuit dough, freed up my mind to work through problems.
My California upbringing had not included the simple mesmerizing joy of watching white stuff fall from the sky. Whether a steady straight-down storm like this one or a howling blizzard, I never tired of gazing at it. And I’d seen all forms in my four years in Indiana. I put on the outside lights so the flakes glistened in the illumination like fairies dancing. A gust of wind made them twirl and swirl before returning to their steady descent.
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