The Art of Baking Blind

I just finished reading The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan.  It is a British novel about five people who have entered a competition to be the next Mrs. Eaden.  Kathleen Eaden was the face of her husband’s chain of grocery stores called Eaden and Sons.  Kathleen was an avid baker and wrote a column about baking for Home Magazine.  Kathleen also wrote a cookbook called The Art of Baking.  It was published in 1966 and is considered a classic.  Kathleen Eaden had died the previous year and now the company needs a new Mrs. Eaden.  The applicants need to be talented amateur bakers.  

Vicki Marchant is a wife to Greg, who is a lawyer, and the mother of three year old Alfie.  Vicki stays home with her son and they enjoy baking together.  Vicki, though, does not enjoy staying at home.  Her son is a challenge, her husband is never home, and she gets lonely.  Vicki trained to be a teacher.  She feels that she is not living up to her potential (her mother’s words).  Vicki and her mother are not close.  Vicki is always trying to get praise or recognition from her mother.  Vicki wonders if her mother will be proud of her if she wins the next Mrs. Eaden contest.

Jennifer “Jenny” Briggs is fifty-two, married, has three grown children (who are at university), and she loves to bake.  Jenny is having trouble adjusting to an empty nest.  Baking and cooking is a comfort for her.  Jenny is now overweight.  Her husband, Nigel is on a fitness kick since his brother had a heart attack.  He is always out running and now he is entering marathons.  Nigel has started berating Jenny about her weight and all the baking.  Jenny is entering the competition because she knows she is good at baking, but she is also bored.  Jenny does not think that she will be accepted as an applicant because she is heavy, grey hair cut in a bob, and dresses plainly.  Jenny is always doing for others, and now it is time she did something for herself.

Karen Hammond is forty-seven, but does everything in her power to look younger.  She exercises relentlessly, gets spa treatments, and etc.  She loves to bake, but Karen never tastes anything she makes.  Karen has worked hard to overcome her middle class roots and wants the best for her children.  Karen is married to Oliver and has two children.  Karen has secrets and she does not want them to come out.

Claire Trelawney is a checker at Eaden and Sons.  She is a single mom.  Her little girl, Chloe is nine years old.  Chloe loves watching cooking and baking shows, but she cannot afford expensive ingredients (like those sold at Eaden and Sons).  Claire’s mother has signed her up for the show (Claire would never have entered if though she wanted to).  Claire is nervous, but excited. 

Mike Wilkinson is forty-two years old, has two children, and is a widower.  His wife died two years ago.  Since the death of his wife Mike has learned to be a good coke and he loves to bake.   We are not told much about Mike in the book (focuses more on the four women).  He seems like a kind man who has a more carefree attitude toward baking (does not measure exactly).

These ladies get to know each other as the competition progresses.  We get to see into their lives and what shaped them.  They all have obstacles they need to overcome.  Read The Art of Baking Blind to see how the competition ends and how it changes each of them.  I give The Art of Baking Blind 3 out of 5 stars.  It is an interesting book, but it did not draw me in and hold my attention.  It is a British novel so it contains different spellings of words than we are used to in America and words can mean different things in the United Kingdom (example:  cookies are called biscuits, cake is sponge, and their puddings are not soft and velvety smooth).

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions and review are my own.

Thank you for visiting and reading my review!  I am currently reading Missing Melissa by Alretha Thomas.   Have a great night and Happy Reading!

Kris

P.S.--Did you get some wonderful books today?????  It is book release day (my favorite day).  A little after midnight my Kindle kept giving out little bings.  Each bing was another book!  My problem is I have too many books to read (I know that's not a real problem).  Any idea how to read 45 books in 25 days?  I think I over extended myself this month!  

Neighing with Fire

Neighing with Fire by Kathryn O’Sullivan is the third book in the Colleen McCabe series.  Colleen McCabe is the Fire Chief for Corolla Fire and Rescue.  She is currently dating Bill Dorman who is the Currituck County Sheriff.  They are both adjusting to going from colleagues to friends to dating (Colleen finds the term boyfriend and girlfriend juvenile and cannot think of another term).  Tropical Storm Ana recently came through the Outer Banks village of Corolla.  It disturbed the beaches and exposed a crime.

Colleen is talking to Denny Custis, the construction mogul, trying to find out if his employees are bothering the horses (she is trying to be subtle).  Myrtle Crepe put her up to it.  Myrtle is the head of the Lighthouse Wild Horse Preservation Society.  Denny is Antonio “Pinky” Salvatore’s rival (another construction mogul).  Colleen hears screams nearby and rushes to the scene.  A tourist couple found a body in the sand at their vacation rental.  The storm had disturbed the sand and exposed the body.  Sheriff Bill Dorman quickly arrives at the scene.  Who killed this poor man and who is he?  It is not anyone Colleen nor Bill know or have seen around the area.  Michael Hector Fuentes is the man found buried in the sand.  He was strangled, and he worked for Denny Custis. 

Colleen is also busy with a string of arsons hitting the area.  Someone is deliberately setting fire to abandoned homes.  Special Agent Joe Morgan is the lead investigator on the case and he is very quirky.  The next day Colleen and the crew are called to a fire and they find a dead body in the house.  Colleen wonders if it is the work of the arsonist.  The body is identified as Denny Custis.   Denny was not a pleasant man and was not well-liked.  Is it the work of the arsonist or was the fire set to cover up the murder?  Bill and Colleen set out to solve the crimes while they navigate their way through their new relationship.

There is also a wedding taking place soon.  Chip, a firefighter, is marrying Fawn (you can tell from the name that she is into crystals and auras).  Fawn has asked Colleen to be in her wedding party (Colleen really tried to get out of it, but she ended up agreeing).  Each guest is also asked to bring a love quote to read at the wedding.  They are getting married at sunrise on the beach.  Bobby Crepe, Myrtle’s son, is on an exercise regimen and people are no longer called him Big Bobby.  He is turning out to be a very good firefighter.  However, the guys love to tease Bobby about his overprotective mother.  Myrtle is up to her usual shenanigans causing trouble for Colleen.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Neighing with Fire.  I give Neighing with Fire 5 out of 5 stars.  It has a good mystery (medium level mystery), romance, and humor.  Neighing with Fire was a pleasure to read.  I eagerly await the next book in the Colleen McCabe series.  Neighing with Fire will be out on May 5, 2015.  

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I hope you have had a good day (for a Monday)!  I am currently reading The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan.  Have a good evening and a wonderful week!  Happy Reading!

Kris

Anne of the Fens

Anne of the Fens by Gretchen Gibbs is a part of The Bradstreet Chronicles.  Anne Dudley lives with her family in Tattershall Castle.  They are all puritans.  Anne has an older brother, Sam, and three younger sisters:  Patience, Sarah, and Mercy.  Thomas Dudley, her father, was the steward for the Earl of Lincoln.  King Charles has imposed a new tax and Thomas Dudley does not think they should pay it.  He advised the Earl not to pay the tax and now the Earl in in the Tower of London.  Anne studies during the day with her tutor, Simon.  Simon is nine years older than Anne.  Anne has tried flirting with him, but she has not been able to get any response out of Simon (or Anne thinks she is not doing it right).  Anne wants more out of life.  She wants to dance, watch plays, and to be held.  One day as they are going to church her little sister, Sarah, darts off into the crowd.  The May Fair is taking place in town and Sarah loves sweets.  Anne is in charge of Sarah and takes off to bring her back to church.  Anne soon loses sight of Sarah in the crowds.  Anne heads towards the area where the sweets are being sold where she is sure to find Sarah.  On the way Anne gets swept away into a dance with a stranger.  She loves it but swiftly extricates herself to find Sarah.  Then Anne sees a play and is mesmerized.  Anne is watching Romeo and Juliet when Sarah walks up with a very dirty face (icing).  Anne grabs her sister and drags her back to church.

Anne did not get to see the end of Romeo and Juliet and wants to know how it ended.  The book, though, is not in the castle’s library.  When Anne asks Simon about it, he makes a strange reference to rabbits.  When Anne ponders upon it, she realizes it refers to the rabbit on the second floor fireplace (carved rabbit).  Anne sneaks out during the night to investigate and finds a secret room.  There in a trunk are many books including Shakespeare’s plays.  Anne stays up late reading Romeo and Juliet.  The next night she sneaks away again, and finds a man in the room.  It is John Holland who is a steward for the Earl of Lincoln on his Sempringham estate.  John had written a notice that is posted in towns about not paying the tax.  There is now a warrant out of for his arrest.  Anne is attracted to John.  Anne’s father asks her to bring food to John every night after everyone has gone to bed (no one must know that John is at Tattershall Castle). Each night they get to know each other better and some touching as well as kissing takes place between them.

One day as they are leaving town from Church, they notice a crowd around the town notice board (before newspapers all information was posted on the notice board for all to read).  On the board was a poem that Simon had written for Anne.  It contained some blasphemous references to the King.  Sarah had taken it from Anne’s hiding place and posted it.  It was on the back of one of John’s notices about not paying taxes.  Anne quickly takes if off the board and the family leaves town, but the sheriff is following them.  If they search the castle, they will find John Holland.  Anne helps John escape the castle and get to a boat heading for Holland.  Anne goes on quite an adventure.

To find out what happens with Anne, John Holland, Earl of Lincoln, and the rest of the Dudley family, read Anne of the Fens.  Anne of the Fens is a young adult novel.  The author, Gretchen Gibbs, is a direct descendant of Anne Dudley.  Anne of the Fens is a fictionalized account of Anne Dudley’s life.  I give Anne of the Fens 3 out of 5 stars.  It is interesting, but the first half of the book is long and not engaging.  The second half is more interesting as Anne helps John escape.  The first book in The Bradstreet Chronicles is The Book of Maggie Bradstreet who is another descendant of Gretchen Gibbs.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Monday!  Thank you for reading my latest review.   Have a great day and Happy Reading!

Kris