Just for Christmas

Each December, I like to read books with a holiday theme. I happened upon Just For Christmas when I placed my last book order and thought I would give this (new to me) author, Scarlett Bailey, a try.

Alex Munro has left Scotland for Poldore, Cornwall. She is escaping two majors incidents in her life. First, she declared her love for her best friend Marcus at his engagement party which backfired on her. Then she came home only to walk in on her father with his lover who also happened to be the lifelong next door neighbor. She had grown up without a mother so this was a major shock to Alex and she decided it was time to move away and find a new life.

Upon arriving in the little village, she found a dirty, rundown cottage which went along with the job. But worse, it came with a dog who was even dirtier and quite vicious at their first meeting. Bouy came with the job as harbour master. Alex did not want a dog and wanted to simply get settled in and hopefully start to become part of village life.

Alex is a likable character who becomes lovable as the book moves on and she starts to fit in with the village life. She is a young woman who is herself and loves doing her job which happens to be a position normally held by men. I enjoyed watching her bloom into being able to be the tomboy figure needed perhaps to hold such a male oriented job while discovering her female side as she gets to know a number of the humorous villagers. Add a pushy aristocrat who is organizing the annual Christmas pageant and has Alex in her sights and you have a fun, humorous read for the holidays with a little romance thrown in.

Happy reading!
Heidi

The Light Between Oceans

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman is not only a book of historical fiction but of romantic love and love between a mother and their child. It is a story of how love can turn to tragedy and be healed again through that same love.

Tom is a WWI veteran who comes to the Australian town of Partageuse to take up his newly appointed position as lightkeeper on Janus Rock. The first person he meets upon arrival is a pretty young woman feeding the seagulls. Isabel is full of life and yet Tom loves his dear Izzy and asks her to marry him. This means a secluded life on the island where Tom guards the lighthouse. This duty is one that Tom takes very seriously. He is meticulous in his following of the rules of duty just as his flowing hand writing is as meticulous.

Izzy has had her third loss of a child. When a boat drifts on to Janus Rock, she thinks she is hearing the distant crying of her just buried son but a baby is found in the boat wrapped in a lady's cardigan laying alongside a dead man's body. Tom must do his duty and report the find in his log book immediately then signal for help. Izzy tends to the little helpless life of a distressed baby who is hungry. Her gift from God? At that instant a decision is made that will alter the lives of many people forever.

This book compels you to feel compassion in your heart to all those touched by a decision made whether right or wrong. It shows a face and heart behind all sides of a story. It shows you there is not only black and white to things but also grey where love resides. M.L. Stedman has given us a beautifully descriptive story of a beautiful landscape. A must read for 2013!

Happy reading!
Heidi

Broccoli-Leek-Mozzarella Quiche

We love quiche as a light and simple meal. I played with a new combination for dinner Sunday evening.

Broccoli-Leek-Mozzarella Quiche
This recipe is for a small sized quiche. My quiche dish is 6-1/2 inch. If making a larger quiche double the ingredients and increase the baking time.

3/4 to 1 cup broccoli rosettes
1 small sliced leek
1 ball of mozzarella
2 pinches mixed Italian herbs
2 eggs
milk
freshly ground salt and pepper
puff pastry - 4 squares

Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheets and press in a buttered quiche dish. I used 4 squares which I left standing higher out of the dish to give the dough a rustic look.

Blanche the broccoli to take the bite out of the vegetable but not allowing it to get soft. Drain and place in the dish. Drain the mozzarella and dice. Place the cheese over the broccoli and then sprinkle with mixed herbs. Fry the leek in a pan until just turning glassy. Place over the broccoli-cheese.

Break two eggs in a glass measuring jug. Beat well. Add enough milk to bring it up to one cup. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the vegetable-cheese and place in a 180C/350F oven for 30 minutes.

This quiche seems wet when you slice it due to the mozzarella but just be sure the egg is baked through.

Eet smakelijk!
Heidi

The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club

Does Wanda E. Brunstetter write a bad book? I don't think so. My mother and I fell under the charm of her books when she brought out the Daughters of Lancaster County series.

This book was enormously fun. Now I have to admit that I had to put it in my Audible basket because of the title alone...The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club. It just had to be part of this year's books list for me as a quilter. I was not disappointed...well...maybe I was when the book ended and I had to leave the story.

Emma Yoder decides to advertise for a beginner's quilting class. She is a widow and doesn't want to be a burden on her family. Her class fills up with participants and she awaits to meet them. What shows up on her doorstep are an amusing group of people that don't really fit well together. Pam and Stuart are a married couple going through marriage problems who were advised to do things together, Paul is a widower raising a baby girl on his own after loosing his wife in a tragic accident and wanting to finish the quilt she started, Star is an aspiring singer/songwriter who grew up with a rocky relationship with her mother and no dad, Ruby Lee is a preacher's wife who is questioning her faith as her husband faces problems in his church community and Jan who is a Harley biker who wants to find his creative side.

It was fun to picture these colorful characters in my mind as the story developed. They got the name Half-Stitched as they all seemed to be going through their own emotional problems. It also fits as they piece together their very first patchwork wallhanging during the class.

If you like Amish or quilt fiction, this is a fun book and will keep you amused and wanting to read more.

Happy reading!
Heidi

At Home on Ladybug Farm

I picked this book up to read as I thought it would be fun while we were having a new and special wood floor put in our house. I was not disappointed. I loved the first book in this series called A Year on Ladybug Farm but this book was even better!

We are back on Ladybug Farm one year after the life changing decision was made to make this move. Cici, Bridget and Lindsay are still restoring the 100 year old house and farm. But this household is growing. Cici's daughter has left college and moved in. She wants to make a contribution to the farm and continue life there instead of going back to college. Lindsay has taken on fostering Noah who was camping out in the folly on the farm. He is now a part of the household and living in the house. Noah is not used to sticking around and family life. Throw in a pet deer, a flock of sheep with a possessed sheepdog and the hilarious housekeeper Ida Mae to make life on this farm always surprising and fun to read about.

This time we are able to glimpse into the story of the past on Blackwell Farm which was the original name of the farm. This past is becoming slowly visible during renovations. The discoveries are becoming better as they go along. And yes...I am being a little cryptic as I do not want to give anything away. If you love books about homes, history and family-village life, you will not be disappointed by this book. Be sure to read the first book before starting on this one though.

I am going to be ordering the third book now and am looking forward to my next visit to the farm!

Happy reading!
Heidi

The Wedding Dress

When I started listening to The Wedding Dress, I had to get over the phony southern accent used by the narrator. Eventually, the story started to become magical enough to make me forget the irritation of her accent.

Charlotte Malone owns a wedding boutique. She is famous for being able to always find the perfect wedding gown for her clients. But she herself is unable to find the right gown for her upcoming wedding to Tim.

Tim decides out of the blue that he only wants to remain friends and not get married after all.

At an auction, Charlotte buys an old chest which is welded shut. She takes what felt like a very long time in the book to open the chest but finally calls on Tim to help her get it open. What she finds inside is a vintage wedding dress that looks brand new. While looking into who the previous owner of the dress was, a story of three brides begins to unravel in front of her. A story that could lead to a major discovery in her own life.

This is one of those books that reflects a parallel story along with present day. We hear the story of Emily and her engagement to Phillip alongside the story of Charlotte buying the chest. You know the connection must be that the dress Charlotte will find in the crate will be Emily's as you read and wait for the story of the connection. But you are brought to meet Hillary as the owner of the wedding dress when Charlotte finally opens the welded chest. Rhe story takes a mysterious twist as we hear Hillary's love story and how she got the dress and how. This takes us to meet Mary Grace and her husband. A dress made back in 1912 becomes a special garment with a magical quality.....

Happy reading!
Heidi

Nell's Quilt

I just closed the cover on Nell's Quilt by Susan Terris. I am feeling very disturbed and not sure how to even start writing a review for this book. I bought this book thinking it would be about a young girl making a wedding quilt in 1899. I did not count on the dark and depressing story that would unfold in its pages. I know that eating disorders exist and it cannot be easy for the person experiencing them or their families but it was very unexpected that this is what the story is about.

I had no idea when I bought it as the book description is misleading once again. This happened to me once already this year in another book called The Fisherman's Quilt. What is sad to me is that the descriptions of Nell making her crazy quilt down to the stitches used were very good. The writing of things going on in the daily life of Amherst, Massachusetts in 1899 were also intriguing. But the dark nature of this book just left me asking what the author was thinking and why would she write it intended for the young girls she had as her target market?

As a quilter, I find it is leaving me with a dark cloud around me and I just want to put on an audio book to entertain me and quilt away these feelings of distaste from this book. Needless to say, I would not recommend it to anyone and would not want my child to read it.

Happy reading!
Heidi