The Smell of Ink/Lukten av Trykksverte

It's Wednesday and probably time for a new Top Five Wednesday, courtesy of the  Goodreads group with the same name. The theme of the week was standalone novels we wished had a sequel or a companion novel. In order to narrow it down a bit, I decided focusing on historical fiction. Here's my picks; The Secrets of the Lazarus Club by Tony Pollard The Winter Loon by Lori Henriksen The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns A Daughter's Courage by Renita D'Silva The Occcupation by Deborah Swift

Jeg er kanskje bittelitt sent ute siden det allerede er påske, men uansett så ville jeg dele noen bokanbefalinger til krimbøker en kan lese nå i påsken. Her kommer en liten liste over bra krimbøker. Noen av dem er av norske forfattere, mens andre er utenlandske. Gutten som elsket rådyr av Samuel Bjørk Lille Linerle av Myriam H. Bjerkeli Jenta uten hud av Mad Peder Nordbo Jeg skal savne deg i morgen av Heine T. Bakkeid Blindtunnel av Tove Alsterdal Stumme skrik av Angela Marsons Mercedes-snittet av Anne Mette Hancock Forsvunnet av Tina Frennstedt Så ble det kaldt av Frode Eie Larsen Jernspøkelset av Ivar Aase Når stormen aldri løyer av Lars Helle Myrkongens datter av Karen Dionne Midnattspiker av Jonas Moström Død manns kiste av Vigdis Kroken og Ragnhild Kolden

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery A Death Long Overdue: A Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Netgalley When her former director is found dead in the water, librarian Lucy Richardson will have to get to the bottom of the mystery before the killer ends her tale. It's summertime in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bertie James's college class is having their 40th anniversary reunion. The opening night reception is held at the Lighthouse Library and Lucy and her colleagues have assembled an exhibit of library artifacts showing how libraries have changed over the years. After the reception, some of the women take a walk down the boardwalk to the pier, using flashlights to illuminate the dark path, but what's scarier than the dark is finding the former director of the Lighthouse Library floating lifeless in the water. Helena S

Det er på tide med en ny Smakebit på Søndag, som bokbloggene  Betraktninger  og  Flukten fra virkeligheten  har ansvaret for. Boka jeg vil ta for meg i dag er en cosy mystery roman som heter Dough or Die, skrevet av Winnie Archer. Olaya driver bakeriet Yeast of Eden og har flere ansatte, blant annet Ivy. De skal bli med i et reality-program om bakeriet, men ting går mildt sagt litt galt. Først blir en kameramann påkjørt og så blir den ene programverten drept. Smakebiten jeg vil dele omhandler derimot tankegangen bak bakeriet og bakekursene som bakeriet har hatt. "The whole concept behind Bread for Life was to lift up and empower low income and immigrant women in the community and help them develop hirable skills, as well as to build self-confidence. Olaya was teaching them to bake. They shared recipes, especially for indigenous breads, and each class offered the participants a chance to connect with one another. It had ended up being far more than a series of baking classe

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Murder in Waiting (Tourist Trap Mysteries #11) by Lynn Cahoon through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads In the latest Tourist Trap mystery from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lynn Cahoon, bookshop café owner Jill Gardner contends with a best friend-turned-bridezilla while trying to solve a local historian’s untimely date with death . . . At Coffee, Books, & More, Jill’s the boss. But as Amy’s maid-of-honor, she can barely keep up with marching orders—and now she’s in charge of organizing an epic bachelorette! Adding to Jill’s party-planning panic, the South Cove Heritage Society just unceremoniously dumped her historic landmark bid. While vying proposals rush in from a loaded land developer and a pushy travel guide company, Jill finds an unexpected ally in Heritage Society expert, Frank Gleason. But their happy union

It's Friday, which means it's time for a new Let's Talk Bookish post, courtesy of  Literary Lion and Eternity Books . The theme of the week was how to promote diversity in book blogging and publishing. If one is a bit creative, I think it could be a bunch of different ways. That said, I often feel that the Norwegian publishers are a bit "slow" to publish diverse books, if they publish them at all. Aside from a very small handful of non-western bestselling authors, I rarely see any non-white authors (or diverse authors in general) prominently displayed, whether it's in newsletters, in bookstores or what-not. If we're going to read diverse books, they need to be published and for that matter, promoted so much that people know they exist. Not that there's anything wrong with Jo Nesbø and Lucinda Riley, but come on, there's tons of authors out there that could be displayed and/or deserve to be on the bestselling lists. In some cases, there's also

I came across the I Love Spring Tag over at  Lala's Book Reviews  and I decided to play along. How is Spring where you live? It's ever-changing weather as usual, but apart from that spring is pretty okay where I live. At least spring flowers such as tulips are starting to grow. Most anticipated book release this Spring? For me, one of the most anticipated spring releases is Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates. I've read a few other books in this cosy mystery series and it's really fun. Show us a book cover that makes you think of Spring: The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns Where are you going to read this Spring? As I'm having a major reading slump/reading block at the moment, I'm not entirely sure. The pandemic doesn't help either in terms of travelling and such. Find a cover with the sun on it! Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie What are your favorite Spring reads? Toxic Toffee by Amanda Flower Find a book wit

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Botched Butterscotch (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #4.5) by Amanda Flower through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads A slice of intrigue. . . Mother’s Day is a sweet and busy time at the candy shop Bailey King runs with her Amish grandmother. This year is extra special, because Bailey’s parents are visiting Harvest, Ohio. Bailey’s father has rarely returned since leaving the Amish faith over thirty years ago, but Bailey is confident that the right treats can help sugarcoat any awkwardness. For Mother’s Day Tea at the local church, she’s whipping up her mom’s favorite: butterscotch fudge. All’s going well, until a sticky-fingered thief makes off with the money raised for a local women’s support group. While Bailey tries to discover who stuck their fingers in the cookie jar, she encounters an assortment of suspects. It doesn’t help that Juliet,

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve a press copy of the cookbook Vegan Boards: 50 Gorgeous Plant-Based Boards for Snacks and Meals for Family or Friends by Kate Kasbee through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Finally, a book of beautiful food board ideas for snacks, parties, and family meals that fit your plant-based diet. Serving artfully arranged foods on boards or platters is extremely popular, but until now, all the books on the subject have been full of meats, cheeses, and other animal products. Vegan Boards is the first book to make this trend accessible to people who follow an entirely plant-based diet. The results are delectable—and gorgeous to behold. In these pages, Kate Kasbee, co-creator of the popular blog Well Vegan, shows you how to create 50 stunning plant-based boards. Step-by-step instructions and a color photograph are included for each one. All the boards are remarkably easy to pre

Last year I recieved an ARC of the cosy mystery For Whom the Book Tolls (An Antique Bookshop Mystery #1) by Laura Gail Black through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads In this cozy series debut from Laura Gail Black, Jenna Quinn finds her uncle murdered in his antique bookstore, and Jenna--his primary beneficiary--becomes the prime suspect. Trouble follows Jenna Quinn wherever she goes. Fleeing some unsavory doings in her hometown of Charlotte, Jenna accepts her uncle's gracious invitation to stay with him in small-town Hokes Folly, NC. In exchange, she'll help him out in his antiquarian bookstore. But soon after she arrives, Jenna finds her uncle's body crumpled at the base of the staircase between his apartment and the bookstore. Before the tragedy even sinks in, Jenna learns that she's inherited almost everything her uncle owned: the store and apartment, as well as his not-so-meager savings a

I fjor fikk jeg tilsendt et leseeksemplar av debutromanen Hundedager av Trine-Lise Rygh fra forlaget. Jeg leste den kort tid etter og i dag kommer omtalen av boka. Beskrivelse fra forlaget Når er det greit å gripe inn i andres privatliv? Mora til Tess har havna på sjukehus. Hun ble funnet i hagen, ute av stand til å gjøre rede for seg, sier naboen. Tess må komme, må ta seg av bikkja. Så Tess reiser over fjellet, tilbake til huset med de dårlige minnene. Må få ordna med den bikkja så kan hun dra tilbake til kjæresten, til jobben i dyrebutikken – den første jobben hun har klart å holde på. I leiligheten til mora er alle gardinene trukket for, som vanlig. Tess møter naboen, hun som ringte. Fra avstand ser hun ut som en diva, en sånn fra filmer på søttitallet, men hun er ikke akkurat noen stjerne. Og ungen hennes. Ida. Hvordan har hun det egentlig? Ubehaget tyter frem mellom linjene i denne sterke debuten om omsorgssvikt. Mine tanker om  boka Hundedager er en bok som smyger seg i

I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the fantasy novel The Conjurer (The Vine Witch #3) by Luanne G. Smith through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Sidra didn’t murder her husband. Yet even a jinni can’t wish away a wrongful imprisonment. Determined to prove her innocence, she returns to her adopted home—a French village renowned for its perfume witches—with her friends Elena and Yvette by her side. Here is where Sidra’s true destiny awaits, but danger also lurks in the village’s narrow lanes. On her trail is Jamra, another jinni, who’s after more than revenge for the murder of his brother. He also seeks vengeance for the indignities inflicted on jinn by mortals over the centuries. When he learns of an ancient relic capable of unleashing chaos on the world, and that the weapon is in the hands of his murderous sister-in-law, he vows to destroy Sidra to get it. Relying on a sisterhood of magic, a mysteriously fa

It's Friday and time for a new Let's Talk Bookish post, courtesy of Literary Lion and Eternity Books . The theme of the week was diversity in books. When I talk about diversity, I use the wide definition I published in my  2021 Diversity Reading Challenge , just so you know what's in the back of my head when talking about it. That said, I prefer reading diverse books by an author who knows what they're talking about, but I may make exceptions from time to time. I love to be on the lookout for new-to-me diverse books to read and I often use Bookstagram, Booktube, book blogs and Goodreads for inspiration and suggestions. I find the first three especially helpful in terms of let's say black booktubers suggesting well written books with black protagonists or by black authors, as they know if the book is written in a proper/authentic way. I almost wish Bookstagram and Booktube existed "back in the day" when I first came out as bi, as there were very few books

I came across this fun tag called The Flower Book Tag, which was created by  Wordy and Whimsical  and I decided to play along. Roses are traditionally given as an expression of love: what’s your favourite romance in a book? The slow burning one. No offense against Instalove, but I prefer the slow burning one. Stargazer Lilies are named for their blooms that face toward the sky: who is your favourite ambitious character? Starr from The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Peace Lilies are known for being one of the easier houseplants to care for: what is a book you think anyone could love? Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Chrysanthemums are given on Mother’s Day in Australia: who is your favourite fictional mother? Molly Weasley for sure. How is it possible NOT to love her? Spider Plants are easy to propagate: what is a hyped-up book that you love? Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Lily of the Valley is pretty but poisonous: share a book with a beautiful cover that was actua

For evigheter siden var jeg såpass heldig at jeg fikk tilsendt et leseeksemplar av boka Bieffekten - alt du vil vite om bienes forunderlige verden av Sarah Hambro fra forlaget. Nå har jeg lest boka og i dag kommer omtalen. Beskrivelse fra forlaget Bli med inn i bienes gåtefulle og forunderlige univers og se hele verden i et nytt perspektiv. Bli med inn i den mørke, hemmelighetsfulle bikuben, og les hvordan disse bittesmå, stripete, flittige organiserer sine liv i et samfunn med avansert arbeidsdeling, med en dronning som regent. Dette er ikke en bok om birøkt, men en bok for alle som ønsker å forstå hvorfor disse honningsankerne er så viktige for oss, og har blitt selve symbolet på alle pollinatorers utfordringer i vår tid. I Bieffekten forteller Sarah Hambro bienes historie, men også vår egen kulturhistorie sett gjennom biene. Her skildrer hun bidronningens elleville bryllupsflukt og den mystiske biedansen. Hun møter musikeren som ble dronning-avler, legen som kurerer sår med h

It's Tuesday and time for a new Top Ten Tuesday post, courtesy of That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was simple enough, as it was books on my spring 2021 TBR. As I'm hosting the  2021 Diversity Reading Challenge , I decided focusing on books with an Asian theme this time around. Anyway, here's my picks. A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary For Lovers by Xiaolu Guo Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy The Vegetarian by Han Kang Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden Pachinko by Min Jin Lee Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan The Ministry of Outmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness by Kyung-Sook Shin The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the photography book Abandoned Industrial Places: Factories, Laboratories, Mills and Mines that the World Left Behind by David Ross through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads From factories, mines, and nuclear power stations to space research centers, Victorian English mill towns, and American gold rush settlements, Abandoned Industrial Places examines the places history left behind. Once these industrial spaces were celebrated and thriving; now, they’re ghostly and forlorn. When times change and they’re no longer needed, power stations, gasworks, car plants, factories, and mine derricks are often too large to destroy. So they linger, looming over the landscape, haunting relics of the past. Ranging from Cuba’s unfinished nuclear power station to atomic test sites in England, from Nevada’s silver towns to a French coal-washing facility, from a sugar factory in

Det er tid for en ny Smakebit på Søndag, som  Betraktninger  og  Flukten fra virkeligheten  har ansvaret for. Boka jeg skal ta for meg i dag er Murder at the Falls (Creature Comforts #3) av Arlene Kay, og omhandler Perri som lager diverse utstyr til hund og hest i lær. I tillegg er de to Malanois-hundene hennes terapihunder. De har et program på et hjem for eldre, og det oppstår litt problemer for å si det mildt. Smakebiten jeg skal dele omhandler da Perri og kjæresten hennes reiser for å besøke broren til en av de som bor på eldrehjemmet og det viser seg at vedkommende har Leonbergere. "To counteract the fading sunlight, our host had thoughtfully illuminated the driveway with floodlights. As we pulled in, a deep, soulful bark sounded a warning. Pruett’s eyes widened, but I knew better. It must have been kismet or something very much like it. To my delight the canine in question was actually Ella’s dream dog—a Leonberger. The giant German working breed frequently topped

Last year I recieved an ARC of the self-help book Complete Guide to Self-Care: Best Practices for a Healthier and Happier You by Kiki Ely through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads The Complete Guide to Self-Care features 100 accessible activities that help you reconnect with your body, mind, spirit, and surroundings, and leave you feeling refreshed and ready to face the world again. Caring for yourself is far from selfish and self-care is far from a new phenomenon, but it’s recently been in the popular vernacular. With screens, work emails on our phones, notifications, and poor boundaries between ourselves and the world around us, taking time and making space for ourselves has become more and more important. Therapy, caring for plants, making your favorite dish…these are all little ways to reclaim parts of yourself that you’ve lost track of in the daily hustle of life. With encouraging reminders, inspiring tho

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Murder in the Storybook Cottage (Book Retreat Mysteries #6) by Ellery Adams through Netgalley. I've now read it and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads In the sixth Book Retreat Mystery by New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams, resort owner Jane Steward has her hands full hosting the Peppermint Press children's book conference when she is sidelined into tracking down a killer who fashions his crimes after fairy tales. Storyton Hall, Virginia, is a top travel destination for book lovers and the perfect spot for literary events. But as a children's book publisher hosts a gathering there, some folks aren't going to live--happily ever after or otherwise . . . Jane Steward's resort is hopping--not only is Peppermint Press' conference in full swing, there are also lots of families staying on the premises, bringing their kids to events like a scavenger hunt th

I came across this fun tag called Readers Problems over at  Feed the Crime  blog and I decided to play along. 1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR, how do you decide what to read next? It depends really, if I have any library books orNetgalley books, I read them first, but if not, I often rely on my TBR jar. 2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you put it down or are you committed? I still try finish reading it, even if I'm lukewarm towards it. 3. The end of the year is coming fast and you’re behind on your reading challenge? Do you try to catch up? And if so, how? It depends on the reading challenge. If there's any prompts I haven't finished, I might check if I have any fitting books, otherwise I give up on it. If it's the Goodreads challenge, I find shorter books so I can get through a lot in a short amount of time. 4. The covers of a series you love do not match, how do you cope? It bugs me, but I try my best to de

I fjor fikk jeg tilsendt et leseeksemplar av kortromanen Og prosjekta skal bleikne av Per Helge Genberg fra forlaget. Nå har jeg til slutt lest den og i dag kommer omtalen av boka. Beskrivelse fra forlaget Tredje bok i Per Helge Genbergs lysande livsforteljing frå Levanger. Etter to sterke, såre bøker om utanforskapen i eigen barndom og ungdom går Genberg no vidare til jobb-delen av tilværet. Med røynsle frå over 30 år som byråkrat avslører han i stutte, skarpe bilete ineffektiviteten og blendverket i offentleg forvalting. For å finna dei djupe verdiane må han ut or kontoret og inn i dei tre kjærleikane: til Gud, til mannen sin og til sauene. Og ingen skriv om sauer som Per Helge Genberg. Mine tanker om boka Og prosjekta skal bleikne er en underfundig bok om ineffektiviteten i byråkratiet og andre tema, som for eksempel sauer. Det er en kort bok det går kjapt å lese, men som rommer mye.

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cookbook The Mexican Home Kitchen: Traditional Home-Style Recipes That Capture the Flavors and Memories of Mexico by Mely Martinez through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads The long-awaited, bestselling cookbook from Mely Martínez, The Mexican Home Kitchen compiles the traditional home-style dishes enjoyed every day in Mexican households, with influences from states like Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Veracruz, Puebla, Estado de México, and Yucatán. Illustrated with stunning photography, this book includes recipes for stews, soups, and side dishes, along with famous dishes like mole, enchiladas, picadillo, and milanesa, and is rounded out with delicious salsas, drinks, and desserts. For Mely Martínez, Mexican cooking has always been about family, community, and tradition. Born and raised in Tampico, Mely started helping in the kitchen at a very young age, since she wa

As March 8th is the International Women's Day, I decided it was only fair that I wrote a list of feminist reads to pick up and read. Even though things has improved a lot, at least in the Western world, in the last century, there's still room for improvement in several areas. So here's a list of eleven books one could pick up and read. Some of them, such as Hood Feminism, also deals with intersectional feminism. I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali Description from Goodreads “I’m a simple village girl who has always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no.” Nujood Ali's childhood came to an abrupt end in 2008 when her father arranged for her to be married to a man three times her age. With harrowing directness, Nujood tells of abuse at her husband's hands and of her daring escape. With the help of local advocates and the press, Nujood obtained her freedom—an extrao