#34 Medieval Tastes: Food, Cooking, and the Table by Massimo Montanari, Beth Archer Brombert

I picked this thinking it would have some recipes as well as talking about the food culture during the medieval era.  Instead what I got was a very detailed and heavily footnoted book about food and some of the reasons behind what was eaten during that time frame.  The book did leave more to the Italian side since it seems the few cookbooks from that time frame were from that area.  Every part of food is covered in here along with how some dining customs changed as food changed.  An interesting read , but the book is more for someone doing research during that time frame and less for the average foodie.  Lots of reference sources listed if you do decide to fall down that rabbit hole.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

#35 Trailer Park Fae by Lilith Saintcrow

I’ve really liked everything I have read by this writer and this book is no exception.  Gallow is a half Fae, living as a mortal construction working while wallowing in mourning the death of his mortal wife.  He has stayed away from the either court and is surprised when he sees a Fae woman on the run from the Winter court in is bar.  She reminds him of his dead wife and he gets involved in helping her. Of course r with this being the Fae not everything is as it seems nor is Gallow just a half fae hiding from fairy. And if they are offering help it comes with a price.  I’ll be getting the next one when it comes out.


Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss

#36 The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks by Sam Maggs

I picked this up because I admit to being a fangirl about certain things.  This covers just about everything about fandom you can think of the top of your head. Lots of points about where to get started on fan fiction, conventions, cosplay and other stuff.  Most of what it covered I knew and I just had a few minor nitpicks about things but overall it was a nice. There is even a section about how to handle trolls, which is a sad state of the internet that it has to be address.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

#37 Emergence: Dave vs. the Monsters by John Birmingham

This is a fast action military urban fantasy. Dave, a safety officer on an oil rig becomes an unlikely hero with an ax against monsters coming out from the deep to eat everyone on the rig.  Dave isn’t hero material when we first meet him nursing a hangover from partying away his bonus on hookers and blow instead of trying to keep up with bills and taxes and taking care of his kids with his soon to be ex wife.  But when he grabs an oversized ax and hits a lucky blow on one of the monsters something happens.  Dave gets an info dump on everything about the monsters and somehow the ax becomes enchanted.  He gains powers but they come at a disadvantage of constantly needing to eat.  Things end with a battle that Dave stops by using some of his new knowledge to challenge the leader to one on one combat.   The book  a quick fast read and the plus for people wanting to know what comes next is the next tow care coming out in quick succession.


Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss