T. Kharitonova

One of the best new series, Sep 4 2012

I've read lots of chick-lit set in alternate worlds lately, everything from Charlaine Harris to Richelle Mead to Karen Marie Moning. Most of it is just not that great, although a few series are worth it.

This is one of the worth it ones, as long as you don't need the saccharine sweetness of beautiful protagonists and a slight ridiculousness to your dialogue. This series is dark, gritty and has a great romantic twist with a very atypical male lead. And you still end up rooting for the couple.

Having read all the books to date, the only thing that irks me off as a reader is the clumsiness of the protagonist being used as a plot device too often. Say we're at a critical… Read more

Thoughtful and measured, Sep 4 2012

This book is more than a collection of recipes, it's a meditation on a way of life. The way of life that has largely disappeared for most of us living in cities and having an herb garden. This book seems to grow from the very land of the school that it springs from, and is tied to many observations about outdoor chores of the seasons, the cooking rewards at the end of the day and the thoughtful way work is tied to life and food.

I've only tried like three recipes so far, and they've been excellent, although my chili recipe is better. But it's a good book to read and enjoy like a novel and to get inspired into the kitchen by.

Awful whiny protagonist, Mar 27 2012

Once again I'm at odds with popular tastes in fiction, having detested this book. Hannah the Detective was such a whiny spoiled brat (cancer notwithstanding), that I wanted to punch her every few pages. She comes across as an adult that needs babysitting by any available adult - husband? sister in law? random dude? otherwise some petulant decision or another leads to various ridiculous 'dangerous' circumstances. I'm incredulous that other people rate it so highly. Add the cliched characters and 'mystery' plot and it's a total dud of a novel.