The boys dropped their lines and let the gentle movement of the water carry them down. At the same moment they both saw the body, face down at the edge of the bend below the bridge, the pale blue pants and top billowing out in the slow-moving water.

Those sentences are from The Cooking School Murders by Virginia Rich.

I’m using the same book to answer the question: It’s Tuesday, Where are you?

I am in Harrington, Iowa for my yearly visit. I’ve chosen to take an advanced cooking class just for fun.  But then it’s not quite so much fun when someone ends up dead and I’m one of the suspects. I know I didn’t do it so I’ll have to help figure out who did.

For more of It’s Tuesday . . Where are you? click the image on the left.

It’s Tuesday . . Where are you? is sponsored by Raider Girl at An Adventure in Reading.

I’m in Sweetgum, Tennessee visiting with a group of women who love to both knit and read books. We’ve become a little set in our ways. Then the leader of the group brings in a thirteen-year-old girl so we can help her learn to knit. We also have to go back and read some of the classic children’s stories. Oh, dear.

I’m reading Sweetgum Knit Lit Society. Here are a few Teaser Tuesday sentences from the book:

“You never did tell us who you identified with in Little Women,” Merry heard herself say, even as she told herself not to get involved. . . .

“This book was totally lame. So is this stupid knitting.”

Oh yes, the Sweetgum, Tennessee women are about to experience some changes in their lives and not all caused by the teenager. I’ll have my review done this week. It’s been an interesting book.

If you would like some more teaser sentences, head over to Should be Reading and visit with MizB.

One of the side benefits of Book Blogging is finding out about new books, or I should say, books that are new to me. I’m going to share some of my ‘finds’ with you every week or so as part of a meme sponsored by MizB at Should Be Reading.

The past week my eye seems to be getting caught on culinary mysteries. Years ago I started reading the Diane Mott Davidson series but, while I was off doing something else, this whole genre seems to have sprouted. I think that’s a good thing. Here’s what I found:

1.  Batter Off Dead by Tamar Myers. This is a new author for me. The book sounds so good. It’s the latest in one of her Pennsylvania-Dutcb mystery series.

At the Beechy Grove Mennonite Church’s annual pancake breakfast, Minerva J. Jay, known for her prodigious appetite, slumps over dead after ingesting stacks and stacks of hotcakes. Police Chief Chris Ackerman wonders whether the serving of the fatal flapjacks is a case of assault and batter. Magdalena has her own bun in the oven, but that doesn’t stop the chief from asking for her help with the investigation.

Since I haven’t read any books in the series I’m going to start with the first one: Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth.

2. A Slice of Murder by Chris Cavender. This ks the debut novel of Chris Cavender but he’s written lots of other novels. Huh? Chris Cavender is the pseudonym for Tim Myers. For a funny story about this guy go HERE.

Eleanor Swift is the spunky owner of A Slice of Delight, a pizza joint. She is trying to mend her broken heart and could use a little quiet time. But when a late night delivery customer turns up dead, she’s in for just the opposite. Eleanor figures somebody must have been really mad at Richard Olsen to bury that kitchen knife in his chest. But when Kevin Hurley – her ex-boyfriend and Timber Ridge’s police chief – starts eyeing her as a prime suspect, Eleanor knows she better get to the bottom of things before the gossipy townspeople decide to stop ordering her specialty pies.

3.  Killer Crab Cakes: A Fresh-Baked Mystery by Livia J. Washburn. This is another new-to-me author who seems to be very prolific.

When Phyllis’ cousin asks her to look after her Oak Knoll bed-and-breakfast for a few weeks, Phyllis jumps at the chance—mostly because the inn is located close to the annual Rockport, Texas, Just Desserts competition. Determined to beat her friendly rival and enjoy some peaceful downtime with her boyfriend Sam, Phyllis concocts the ultimate sweet treat. But Phyllis’ holiday turns bitter when she and Sam discover a dead body—and all signs point to murder. Phyllis wants to stay out of this one but as the list of suspects gets too close for comfort, she decides to throw herself into the mix. Because when it comes to solving murders, Phyllis is one smart cookie.

I think I found some great books this week to add to The List. Only problem? I’m hungry. Find any new books this week?

I’m in an apartment in New York City. I’ve been in a real funk since it hit me that I haven’t done much with my life and I’m about to turn 30. (Editorial comment: Hah! Poor thing!) So I decided to cook every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. I’m going to cook all 524 recipes in one year and blog about it.

It’s Tuesday . . Where are you? is sponsored by Raider Girl at An Adventure in Reading.

I’m reading Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. From this book here are a few Teaser Tuesday sentences:

One thing about blogging is that it gives you a blank check for whining. When [husband] Eric simply couldn’t stand another moment of it, I could take my drone to cyberspace. There I could always find a sympathetic ear.

If you would like some more Teaser Tuessday sentences, head over to Should Be Reading and visit with MizB.

I’m in Trenton, New Jersey with a bond enforcement agent (bounty hunter) who has several things going at the same time. In addition to finding ‘skips’, she’s helping this gorgeous guy find a traitor in his company. At the same time her friend, who recently witnessed a murder, is going undercover at a bar-b-que cook-off contest. That wouldn’t be so bad but her friend has enlisted her grandmother to be an assistant. It’s a recipe for disaster.

It’s Tuesday . . Where are you is sponsored by Raider Girl at An Adventure in Reading.

I’m reading Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. Here are a few sentences:

I did a five-count of deep breathing as an alternative to kicking him in the knee.
“If you could get that fire truck to move I could get to work,” I finally said.
Morelli was still smiling. “You would owe me.”
“What did you have in mind?”

Stephanie! Never ask Morelli what he has in mind. You already know what he has in mind! Oh yes, I’m a fan of these escapist books. This is the latest one and I couldn’t wait to buy it, even if it was in hardcover.

If you would like some more teaser sentences, head over to Should be Reading and visit with MizB.

I’m in early nineteenth century Washington, D.C. learning about President Andrew Jackson. He’s a very complex man. I’m becoming an admirer of his but I’m also disappointed in some of the things he has done. I had no idea a sexual scandal marred his administration.

This weekly meme is sponsored by RaiderGirl at An Adventure in Reading.

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Here are a couple of Teaser Tuesday sentences:

She made her decision overnight: she would not return the call. To Floride, who was about to leave town in any event, the rumors about Margaret’s sexual transgressions were credible enough to keep the wife of the vice president of the United States from being on social terms with the wife of the secretary of war.

Teaser Tuesday is sponsored by MizB at Should Be Reading.

My teasers came from American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. It’s been a great read so far and I plan to tell you about it on Thursday. I hope you’ll join me then.

It’s Tuesday . . Where are you?

I’m on Nantucket Island for the summer. I’m visiting with a multi-generaltional family who have a Summer House here. The whole family is interesting but I’m focusing on three of the women – 90 year old Nona, 60 year old Helen and her 30 year old daughter Charlotte. They each have their own joys and problems and secrets as well.

I’ve been reading Summer House: A Novel by Nancy Thayer. Join me for my tour review tomorrow and an interview with Nancy Thayer on Thursday.

Here are a few teaser sentences from the book:

Something rather strange had been happening to Nona over the last few years. . . The older she grew, the more she seemed to love people in general. . . . She felt an unexplained rush of affection for them all. . . And yet now that her real grandchildren were arriving, what she felt was a kind of dread.  She seemed to have lost her enthusiasm for people in particular.

I’m a white girl in Memphis in 1956. I’ve been taught, by example, one way to look at and treat “colored folk.”  But, my experience teaches me something different.

I’m reading In the Land of Cotton by Martha A. Taylor. It’s a memoir spanning the years of 1956 to 1968. It’s an excellent reminder of how far some of our attitudes have progressed. I’m just about done with the book and hope to review it on Thursday or Friday.

Teaser Tuesday is sponsored by MizB at Should Be Reading. Visit her for more teasers or to join in.

From the same book, here are a couple of teaser sentences.

“Why do they live like that?” Even as a child I knew humans weren’t supposed to live in such squalor.

“Because, honey, they can’t do no better. They have always been slaves since they were brought to this country. They will always be slaves in one form or another.”

What are you reading this week?

From the back of the book:

After Bourne is ambushed and nearly killed while in Bali, he fakes his death to take on a new identity and mission- to find out who is trying to assassinate him. In the process, Bourne begins to question who he really is and what he would become if he no longer carried the Bourne identity.

Across the globe, an American passenger airliner is shot down over Egypt-apparently by an Iranian missile-leaving the world wondering if it was an accident or an act of aggression. A massive global team lead by Soraya Moore is assembled to investigate the attack before the situation escalates.

When Bourne’s search for his would-be assassin intersects with Soraya’s search for the group behind the airplane bombing, Bourne is thrust into a race to prevent a new world war. But it may already be too late.

My husband, Jay, and I are big fans of the Jason Bourne stories. When given the chance to read this new book, we jumped at it. After reading it we sat down and talked about it. Here is some of our discussion. Keep in mind we don’t always agree.

1. In this book Jason Bourne seems indestructible. What do you think?

Jay said: He has near death experiences but I don’t think they were plausible. How can he survive all these things? For me it doesn’t add to the story. I would prefer normal gunshot wounds or knife wounds. But he was shot in the heart, or where his heart should have been. What was that about? It didn’t seem real. They say a cat has nine lives but in this book Bourne has 25.

Margot said: He’s a super-hero. He’s supposed to survive so he can come back for another book.  Okay, I’ll give you that a couple of things seemed a little over the top, but the dramatic coming-back-to-life was just part of the story. For me that’s how a Jason Bourne story is supposed to be.

2. What did you think of the two main female characters (Moira and Soraya)?

Jay said: I liked Moira. She was realistic. She changed jobs by starting her own business, going against a stacked system, and she had a strong backbone. What I didn’t like was when she left Jason in Bali to go back to DC and start her business. If she was really in love with him, she wouldn’t leave him. The character of Soraya didn’t work for me at all. It could have been a man in that role. It seemed to me they made her a female so there would be some love interest in the book and then future movies. Actually, it seemed to me as if the author was writing the book for the movies – the action scenes, the survival of Bourne, the love interest of Moira. It will make a great movie.

Margot said: I thought the best parts of the book were about the women characters. They were strong women, willing to stand up and do the right thing. Moira had to leave Jason on Bali in order to make it look like he was really dead. I also liked the character of Veronica Hart, the Director of Central Intelligence. I wish the author had added more about the politics and in-fighting between the agencies. The character of Soraya didn’t work for me either. She felt contrived, not real. The scene in Khartoum with the Egyptian made him look weak. Not how I think it would have happened in real life.

3. What is your overall assessment of the book?

Jay said: I liked most of the action scenes but I would have liked more realistic action. There were no car chases! Also, you know the attempted assignation at the beginning of the book? I wanted more about that. I needed more information in this book from previous book (The Bourne Sanction) since I didn’t read that one. Overall, it was a fun and easy read for me. It clicked right along. It was engrossing and hard to put down. A nice, intricate plot.

Margot said: I didn’t like it as much as you did. The plot was a little too intricate for me. I needed a list of names to keep track of who’s who. There were so many sub-plots that it took me longer to read the book than it took you. But I did like most of the characters. Jason Bourne’s nemesis, Arkadin, was well-developed. He was so evil and manipulative that I wanted something really bad to happen to him.

Although we may have dissected this book a bit too much, it is still an excellent read. A great book to read together and then discuss. It would make a nice long weekend book. It will probably inspire you to go back and read some of the other Bourne books or you could rent one of the three dvd versions of the movies.

We’d like to thank Miriam at Hachette Book Group for supplying us with an advanced reading copy of this book.

Looking Back: I read and reviewed 52 books during the past six months. With only a couple of exceptions, I have enjoyed them all. I like to read a variety of books so I tend to jump from novels to non-fiction and back again. I concentrated on completing two short-term book challenges: Books About Food and my Childhood Favourites. For that reason it seemed as if I’d read a lot of children’s books and food books this past half year.

I decided to try to pick my favorites and limit myself to just ten. That wasn’t easy as I read lots of great books. Sometimes I find myself attached to special books as if they were special children of mine. Someone tell me I’m not the only one. Here’s my list.

Joyfully Retired’s Top Ten (Click on the title for my review)

1. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
2. Home Another Way by Christa Parrish
3. The Way Home by George Pelacanos
4. Comfort Me With Apples by Ruth Reichl
5. Montana Creeds (the whole series) by Linda Lael Miller
6. The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
7. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
8. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
9. Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski and The Railway Children by Edith Nesbutt (It was a tie!)
10. Jantzen’s Gift by Pam Cope

Looking Ahead: What will the next six months bring? I’m hoping for more wonderful stories. I’ve reached the stage in my book blogging life where I’m being offered all sorts of wonderful new books to read. It’s so hard to say no to what I know are fabulous stories. I have to constantly remind myself of how many hours there are in a day. I do like to keep a balance between older books and the brand-new Advanced Reader Copies. So the months ahead will, hopefully, be filled with both old friends and the new.

In summary, look for more of the same: food and children’s books, romances, thrillers, memoirs, classic novels, and Agatha Christie’s. And I’ll also add some Jane Austen books, more mysteries and the newer fiction. And finally, thank you for reading what I write and a special thanks to all those who leave comments. Let’s continue celebrating the joy of good reading.