Audiobook Review: The Golden Egg by Donna Leon

Audiobook Review: The Golden Egg by Donna Leon

Title: The Golden Egg (Commissario Brunetti #22) Author: Donna Leon Reader: David Rintoul Category: Mystery - Police Procedural Audio published: April 30, 2013 by AudioGo Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound In The Golden Egg, as the first leaves of autumn begin to fall, Vice Questore Patta asks Brunetti to look into a minor violation committed by the mayor’s future daughter-in-law. Brunetti has no interest in helping his boss amass political favors, but he has little choice but to comply. Then Brunetti’s wife, Paola, comes to him with a request of her own. The mentally handicapped man who worked at their dry cleaners has just died of a sleeping pill overdose, and Paola loathes the idea that he lived and died without anyone noticing him, or helping him. To please his wife, Brunetti investigates the death, and is surprised to find nothing on the man: no birth certificate, no passport, no driver’s license, no credit cards. As far as the Italian government is...
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Z is for Zwergpinscher

Z is for Zwergpinscher

Z is for Zwergpinscher The zwergpinscher is a small breed of dog, originating from Germany. Because the resemble the reh, a small deer found in German forests, these dogs are often called "Reh Pinschers." They make great house and alarm dogs. It's also the final dog in Walk the Dog by Bob Barner, a cute board book. Title: Walk the Dog: A Parade of Pooches from A to Z Author: Bob Barner Category: Picture Book Published: October 6, 2010 by Chronicle Books (First published March 1, 2000) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound This tail-wagging book features an alphabet of jumping, barking, playing dogs. From Airedales to Zwergpinschers, the 26 breeds gather to form one big, boisterous, barking pack. Bob Barner's colorful collage illustrations and a bouncy, fun-to-read-aloud text make this book a playful introduction to man's (and kid's) best friend. When Amber was little, she loved to pretend to be a dog. She would bark at everyone, including strangers in the store. It was awesome....
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W is for Words

W is for Words

I love words. I don't just mean I enjoy reading, which I do, but I like the sounds of the words. I  like playing with words and meanings, have fun making up ridiculous scenarios with Amber. I may even make up words occasionally. The audio book I'm currently listening to talks a lot about words and meaning, but I'm not near finished with it yet. I did, however, run across a good book aimed at middle elementary kids that I really liked and might have had me in tears in a couple of spots. Title: Word After Word After Word Author: Patricia MacLachlan Category: Juvenile Fiction Ebook published: January 18, 2011 Harper Collins (First published May 18, 2010) Rating: 4½ out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound Every school day feels the same for fourth graders Lucy and Henry and Evie and Russell and May. Then Ms. Mirabel comes to their class—bringing magical words and a whole new way of seeing and understanding. From beloved...
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U is for Umbrella

U is for Umbrella

U is for Umbrella Not very original, I know, but we were out shopping over the weekend and we saw a couple of really cute umbrellas, which I can't seem to find on-line to show you. There's also rain in the forecast, so I should make sure I have an umbrella in the car. I wish I had one of these, they're both cute. As I was looking through the books in the house thinking of U, I came across one we used to read a lot when Amber was younger, The Umbrella by Jan Brett and it doesn't look like I've ever talked about it here. The umbrella in the title is made from banana leaves. Title: The Umbrella Author: Jan Brett Category: Childrens - Animal Stories Published: September 8, 2004 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound A walk through the Costa Rican cloud forest provides a wonderfully lush setting for Jan Brett's beloved animal illustrations. When Carlos drops his umbrella to climb...
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S is for South Africa

S is for South Africa

I've never been to Africa, but Game Drive by Marie Moore, set in South Africa, let me feel as if I was along on the trip. I could picture the animals, the traditions like sundowners which are sunset cocktails, the Rovers, and the cottages. It seems like a romantic, exotic, adventure-filled country. Title: Game Drive (Sidney Marsh #2) Author: Marie Moore Category: Mystery Audio published: April 15, 2013 by Camel Press Rating: 3½ out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository Sidney Marsh is a Mississippi-born, New York-based travel agent. She and her best friend and business partner, Jay Wilson, are struggling to remain standing in a world where the ground is shifting. Their boss at Itchy Feet Travel has a new scheme to attract customers—safari tour packages. He sends Sidney and Jay on a familiarization trip to Cape Town and safari country to check out the accommodations and confirm that the experience lives up to the hype in the brochures. Sidney looks forward to the deluxe trip...
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P is for Pigeon Pie

P is for Pigeon Pie

( I know I usually feature fairy tale or folktale on Thursdays, but this was too perfect for the letter P.) I've never had pigeon pie, but from the couple of recipes I saw on-line, it might be good, similar to a chicken pot pie. The recipe from Really Nice Recipes is one I would try, if I actually knew where to buy pigeon. It includes pigeon, mushrooms, onions, celery , carrot, and a red wine sauce all in a pastry shell. I guess I could use Cornish hens, I know they sell those at our grocery store. I should give it a try one of these days. And no one will die shortly after eating mine, unlike the pigeon pie in The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stewart. Title: The Pigeon Pie Mystery Author: Julia Stuart Read by: Hannah Curtis Category: Mystery Audio published: August 7, 2012 by Random House Audio Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon | IndieBound | Book Depository When Indian Princess Alexandrina is...
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