Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon

Goodreads Summary:

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her...the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite or forever doom her timeless love.

My Thoughts:

I love these books. I am not normally into lady porn, historical fiction, or sci-fi. I guess when you put all of those things together with a strong female lead I totally love it. Claire is not your run of the mill leading lady. She swears like a sailor and doesn't put up shit from anyone, least of all Jamie (much to his displeasure and extreme pleasure).

I have heard other reviews had a hard time with some of the bits to this book that took the ridiculous to the next level from the previous books. I found the adventures and weird new characters a pleasure. This book takes you away from anything you expect and then keeps going. I can see why some people wouldn't love that, but I do.

Pirates, the high seas, and plot twists and turns that are all over the place and yet fluid. This is the first time I enjoyed reading a book that took place on ships. Poor sea sick Jamie. I can feel your pain man! I am hesitant to give too much detail because I don't want to give spoilers. 

I would recommend this to fans of the show Outlander, but please start with the first book. I don't recommend jumping into this series out of order. Diana Gabaldon is an amazing writer. She knows how to get your blood pumping in a variety of ways, meaning, she knows how to write a character you want to jump their bones and characters you want to jump with a knife. Damn that Laoghaire MacKenzie!

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

Goodreads Summary:
Now a New York Times bestseller.

From beloved bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen comes her long-awaited new novel, Lost Lake, about heartbroken people finding hope at a magical place in Georgia.

Suley, Georgia, is home to Lost Lake Cottages and not much else. Which is why it's the perfect place for newly-widowed Kate and her eccentric eight-year-old daughter Devin to heal. Kate spent one memorable childhood summer at Lost Lake, had her first almost-kiss at Lost Lake, and met a boy named Wes at Lost Lake. It was a place for dreaming. But Kate doesn't believe in dreams anymore, and her Aunt Eby, Lost Lake's owner, wants to sell the place and move on. Lost Lake's magic is gone. As Kate discovers that time has a way of standing still at Lost Lake can she bring the cottages—and her heart—back to life?

Sometimes lost loves aren't really lost. They're right where you left them, waiting for you to find them again.

My Thoughts:

Can I just say I love love love Sarah Addison Allen? She has never disappointed in enthralling me in her world for a few hundred pages and I am legitimately sad when I finish her books.

That being said, this book took me a beat to fall in love with, here you should read it took more than five pages but not more than 20. The writing was as beautiful as ever, but something felt different with this book. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time, just a shift of feeling. I got used to it, then loved it. I was going through some weird things in my own life while reading this book and I think in some ways it helped me work some shit out.

After reading this book I discovered that Sarah Addison Allen was going through cancerness while writing this book. That is to say she was either diagnosed or after her battle that she wrote this book. I intentionally didn't seek out the details because I didn't want that to taint my view of the book. As a writer I prefer when people take their own meaning from my work and don't focus too much on what I was going through. I don't pretend that all writer are like this but I want to respect the work as it is without a back story of the person writing it.

All of this being said, I still need to visit the South. I have always loved books with a southern flare, and these books help me get over some of my prejudice toward the south. I want to go visit a place like Lost Lake.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a little magic in their books and anyone needing a read they can connect with.

While writing this review I was listening to my dog sleep.

Blue Plate Special: An Autobiography of My Appetites by Kate Christensen

*****I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy, this in no way impacted my review****

Goodreads Summary:

That the greatly admired novelist Kate Christensen has turned to the memoir form after six novels makes this book an event. Readers of memoirs of high literary quality, particularly those with food themes—most conspicuously Ruth Reichl's Comfort Me with Apples and Gabrielle Hamilton's Blood, Bones, and Butter—as well as admirers of M. F. K. Fisher and Laurie Colwin will be a large and eager audience.

This memoir derives from Kate's popular foodcentric blog (http://katechristensen.wordpress.com), in which she shares scenes from an unusual upbringing and an unusually happy present-day life, providing an audience for this book that is already primed. That it is written by Kate Christensen means it will be a delicious reading experience in every sense—a compulsively readable account of a knockabout life, full of sorrows and pleasures, many of the latter of the sensual, appetitive variety.




My Thoughts: ****I received this book as an ARC from the publisher, this had no impact on my review****

I know several fellow reviewers didn't connect with this read. That wasn't my experience. I found that I connected with each story on some level, some more than others but each story felt authentic and relate-able to me.

I have often linked my memories to food in the same ways that she has. I remember the breakfasts my Mother made on Saturday mornings and how they were sometimes very love filled and other times they were some of the most tense meals of my life.

I like that Kate included recipes and I have thought about trying some of them. Overall, I enjoyed this read. I don't think it will fit with everyone but I think it definitely has a place with readers like me. I would recommend this to people who view their memories with through food and their own relationship with food.


While writing this review I was listening to CBS This Morning. Oh man that Charlie Rose, I have such a crush on him.

Mr. Kiss and Tell (Veronica Mars #2) by Rob Thomas, Jennifer Graham

Goodreads Summary:

In the second book in the New York Times bestselling mystery series, Veronica Mars is back with a case that will expose the hidden workings of one of Neptune’s most murderous locations.

The Neptune Grand has always been the seaside town’s ritziest hotel, despite the shady dealings and high-profile scandals that seem to follow its elite guests. When a woman claims that she was brutally assaulted in one of its rooms and left for dead by a staff member, the owners know that they have a potential powder keg on their hands. They turn to Veronica to disprove—or prove—the woman's story.

The case is a complicated mix of hard facts, mysterious occurrences, and uncooperative witnesses. The hotel refuses to turn over its reservation list and the victim won’t divulge who she was meeting that night. Add in the facts that the attack happened months ago, the victim’s memory is fuzzy, and there are holes in the hotel’s surveillance system, and Veronica has a convoluted mess on her hands. As she works to fill in the missing pieces, it becomes clear that someone is lying—but who? And why?

My Thoughts:

I read the first Veronica Mars book, but it appears I never reviewed it, which is a damn shame because I really liked it. But since it has been some time since reading it I don't think it would be fair to review it more than to say I enjoyed it and you should read it, even if you aren't a fan of Veronica Mars but definitely read it if you are a fan.

In this second installment of the series we pick up about where we left off with the first book. Veronica and Logan are still together and trying to figure out what that means. He is still in the Navy which isn't easy, but her dedication to her own dangerous occupation doesn't ease things along either.

The main mystery in this book is about a girl who is attacked at a local high end hotel. The girl doesn't have much of a memory about what happened to her. Veronica takes the case initially for the hotel, but ends up finishing the case for the victim. Classic Veronica seeking out justice when no one else will.

I liked this book, yes, I am a Veronica Mars fan, but on its own I think this series is pretty good and got even better with the second installment. I would recommend this book to mystery lovers and of course fellow Marshmallows.

While writing this review I was listening to Damien Rice.