Title: A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Cooking Companion
Authors: Chelsea Monroe-Cassel & Sariann Lehrer
Genre: cookbook, books on TV

I did a Game of Thrones program last night at my library and I had checked out this book to get ideas on what kind of food to serve. This cookbook features more meal-type food and I was looking for finger foods to serve. I eventually found some cute Game of Thrones-themed snacks on Pinterest, but this fan cookbook was still interesting to read. This cookbook was the creation and brainchild of two women who have been fans of the Game of Thrones series since it debuted in 1996. They created a blog (Inn at the Crossroads)solely devoted to the food and dishes mentioned in the books. In this cookbook they divided dishes by regions, found a medieval version of a dish and modern version of the same dish. There are recipes here that can enjoyed by all cooking skill levels and would make wonderful dishes at a Games of Thrones viewing party and could be used to hold over a GoT fanatic until the next show season or book comes out (whichever comes first).

Title: A Dance with Dragons
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: fantasy, books on TV

 

The saga of Westeros continues...


Danaerys is in Meereen against the counsel of Jorah Mormont. The plight of the slaves fills with her pity; her infatuation with Daarion Naharis and fatigue from war make her stay.
Tyrion Lannister is on the run from King's Landing. He ends up on a fishing boast containing an odd assortment of folk who are part of a larger secret.
Arya Stark is in Braavos learning to be invisible...
Cersei is in religious prison accused of various crimes.
Bran, Hodor, Meera and Jojen journey beyong the Wall and into the earth.
We finally get into the head of Barristan the Bold, the prince of Dorne, Victarion Greyjoy, Asha Greyjoy (who is growing on me), and Melisandre.

Old alliances are broken; new alliances are forged. Characters thought dead reappear.

My only beef: no chapters about Sans or Sam and we still have no idea what happened to Benjen Stark.

Title: Warm Bodies
Author: Isaac Marion
Genre: supernatural fiction, zombies, apocalyptic

I read my first zombie novel this week and it was pretty darn good....

R is a zombie living in an abandoned airport. He doesn't remember his real name, the age at which he turned, or how long he has been Dead. He lives a static, zombie existence with his fellow dead which mostly consists of shuffling, moaning and occasional hunting trips. Even though R has lost the ability to read and his vocabulary consists of simple words and shrugs, his narration is very articulate. On a random hunting trip he captures Julie and brings her back to the zombie airport. While keeping Julie prisoner, R finds that the last brain he ate (it belonged to Perry, Julie's boyfriend) is slowly changing him. First, his hunger for human flesh slowly subsides, then, he starts to dream. The more Perry's consciousness invades R's brain the more articulate R becomes. Shrugs and one-syllable words turn into short sentences. His feelings for Julie deepen and he takes Julie back to the land of the Living, only to penetrate the stadium a few days later to be with her. Mingling with the Living changes R and Julie and ultimately the world...

Title: Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation
Author(s): Elissa Stein and Susan Kim
Genre: non-fiction, women's health

Ah, yes, that favorite time of the month when Aunt Flow comes to visit... Most cultures view a girl's first period as a sign she is a woman and ready to be married. For Western women, we view nature's red gift as an inconvenience or annoyance. The authors have produced an irreverent, yet educational book about menstruation in American society. What is a natural, biological process has been medicalized by the advertising establishment. Stein and Kim also look at how menstrual flow has been viewed throughout history (sacred yet dangerous), the various birth control options available to women (and how it changes our flow), the controversies surrounding hormone replacement therapy, and the various methods that have been used throughout history to gather "nature's bounty." A must-read for all women!

Title: How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table
Author: Russ Parsons
Genre: non-fiction, food issues, food history, cookbook

Part vegetable/fruit primer, part cookbook, Russ Parsons discusses (very briefly) the growing history of the most popular fruits and vegetables in the United States. The book is divided seasonally with recipes and food history for the vegetable or fruit that is harvested in that particular season. Parsons' focus in this book is flavor; he doesn't get preachy about organics, the environment or vegetarianism, so this might be the right book for someone who is interested in eating healthier but doesn't want to be preached at for not buying 100% organic.

Title: Winging It: A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who's Determined to Kill Me
Author: Jenny Gardiner
Genre: memoirs, animals

I am an animal lover but after reading this book there is no way I want to get an African gray parrot. Jenny and Scott Gardiner inherited a wild and scared baby parrot after they were already dealing with a dog (who was allergic to the Earth) and a newborn. Grayce never "tamed" and had an irascible personality (imagine a grumpy homicidal teenager in a bird's body). While dealing with their parrot's personality they had to deal with her nasty mess (food slung everywhere; trails of poo if they let her walk freely throughout the house). Add three children, two cats, vacations gone bad, and various illnesses (human and animal) with a hefty dose of humor and you get this enjoyable, yet exhausting read.

Title: Dead Ever After
Author: Charlaine Harris
Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, books on TV

The latest and last in the Sookie Stackhouse series...After bringing Sam back from the dead using the cluviel dor, Sookie is dumbfounded by Sam's stiffness around her and Eric's silence. A frenemy from the past (Arlene) is released from jail and comes back to Merlotte's looking for a job. Since Sookie is  part owner, that ain't happening. The next day Arlene is found dead with Sookie's scarf around her neck. When Sookie is arrested for murder, the supes and humans come to her defense financially and legally and start their own investigation into who has it in for Sookie (the list gets longer with each book). Sookie finds new love that has been under her nose all the time... and that is all I'm going to say without accidentally giving away any spoilers. A satisfying ending to an enjoyable series.