Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages. How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading. Don’t forget to include the title and the author so others will what you’re reading. Optional: Share your thoughts about the lines (did you like them?). Post your link on the hostess’s blog.

Affairs of Steak (Julie Hyzy)

Peter Everett Sargeant and I walked east on H Steet as fast as our short legs would carry us. — Affairs of Steak (Julie Hyzy)

Comment: Reminds the reader that both Ollie and Peter are short.

~ & ~ & ~

Hosted by Freda (Freda’s Voice)
Rules:
? Grab a book, any book.
? Turn to page 56.
? Find any sentence that grabs you.
? Post it.
? Link it here.

Tom had never trusted me, despite the fact that I’d proved myself again and again. That was just one of the issues between us. — pg 56, (Affairs of Steak ~ Julie Hyzy)

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Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page. You also need to share the name of the author and the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

Affairs of Steak (Julie Hyzy)

The teaser:

Truth was, I didn’t like it, either. Dark rooms were never inviting and I got a sudden tingling along the back of my neck
– from page 11, Affairs of Steak (Julie Hyzy)

Why I picked this book: Reading about Ollie and her staff in the White House kitchen has become a January tradition.

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Introduction:

Hello! My name is Christina and welcome to my blog!  Before getting down to the business of sharing my Top 10 Reads of 2011, I thought I’d give you a bit of back-story about the list.

It started off as a list of 21 books that, to me, were 5-star books. Some had reviews, but most didn’t. After a few days of trying to whittle it down to 10, I gave up. I knew which book I thought should be #1, figuring out the other nine was frustrating. It seemed like it changed every time I sat down to look at it. Then I came across this event. At first, I passed on it, but then I got an idea, based on something I did back in 2008 (see paragraph 3). Naming the “personal demons” Bitsy and Lulu, back then, was unnecessary and spur-of-the moment. My idea for this week was to create a pair of imaginary hosts, personal demons, and have them deal with my inability to come up with a list by using Random.org. Yes, I did run my list through the randomizer (several times, in fact). It turned out to be very helpful. I was able to eliminate several books because they kept showing up in the top 10, displacing books I felt should have been closer to the top. I got the list down to 14 titles. I got all the posts set up as much as possible, ready for the actual lists. By this time, I was running into issues with book boyfriends and the other character-based list (cover art and 2012 lists were easy compared to the other three).

The problem with having imaginary hosts is that you have to write their parts as well as everything else — in other words, I was adding work to a situation that didn’t need the extra head-ache. I spent nearly the entire weekend of the 17th working on Day 1. . .and it still wasn’t done. By Tuesday, no progress was made so I decided to scrap Bitsy and Lulu from the project entirely. Well, almost entirely. The Top 10 remains random — the book in #1 slot isn’t the one I would have chosen. They also remain in two other spots: Lulu didn’t like my picks for cover art so she presented her own and set up a poll for visitors to vote on which they liked best — I had fun with this so I left the cover art and the poll; the second spot is the “musical interlude” (a YouTube video) they picked to amuse visitors while they were off sorting out my book boyfriend problems.

So. On with the list. . .

~~ & ~~

In the interest of full disclosure — I tweaked the list only once after randomizing it for the final time. The book currently sitting in the #10 spot was initially placed in the top 5. I would have made that book #9 or #10 (had I actually picked them) so I just did a one-for-one swap. Since the post was already set up for a countdown, I left it that way.

# 10. . .
Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy.
From my review in January —

This book is my favorite one, so far, in this series. The mystery and the secondary story lines really worked for me. Ollie has matured in her role as the executive chef. She’s gotten better at handling Peter Sargeant, the snobby and pompous sensitivity director, who constantly hopes she gets fired. Added to the mix is Virgil Ballantine, personal chef to the First Family. On several occasions, his actions either make Ollie look bad or puts her in a difficult position. Ollie handles each situation like a mature, reasonable adult. She is dedicated to doing her best, and doesn’t require the press and notoriety the others — people like Sargeant and Virgil — seek out.

Additional Remarks: It’s the fourth in the series and each book includes menus and recipes for dishes mentioned in the books!  The fifth book will be released on 3 January.

#9 . . .
Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin.
From my write-up in July —

“Raine reminded me of Kate Daniels in many was. She’s protective of those she cares about and she won’t sit idly by while others put themselves in danger because of her. Plus, she’s sarcastic.”

Additional Remarks:  It’s the first in the Raine Banares series.  One of the new-to-me series I will be continuing next year.

#8 is. . .
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
From my write-up in July. . .

“Love it. I liked that we got to see how Kate and Curran are coping with their relationship. I thought the dinner scene, the first few moments of it, had a “first date” vibe to it — shy and awkward. Very sweet. And who knew the Beast Lord was such a romantic.”

Additional Remarks: Still my all-time favorite Urban Fantasy series. The next book set in this world, Gunmetal Magic, is actually told from Andrea’s point of view. The authors stated on their blog that they had the Kate 6 story arc planned out and realized that they needed to resolve Andrea’s issues first before they can move the story forward.  The fact that the publishers went along with this book-detour speaks highly of their faith in this couple.  The next Kate-narrated book isn’t due out until 2013.

#7 is. . .
Red Heat by Nina Bruhns
From my notes –

I wish I could remember which review I read that inspired me to get this book. As soon as it came in, I started reading it — though I had only intended to read chapter one — and couldn’t put it down. One of the things I liked a lot was that I couldn’t figure out who was sabotaging the mission — any member of the crew or scientific team could be the culprit. The author never made anyone seem too secretive or too obvious. I was surprised.

Additional Remarks: This is the first book in the author’s Men in Uniform trilogy. Nikolai’s demotion to captaining an old, barely-holding-itself-together submarine is reminiscent of Kelsey Grammer’s in Down Periscope, a movie that the author calls “one of the best submarine movies ever made.” (scroll down past the excerpt to see her comment and a clip)

#6 is. . .
Unchained by Sharon Ashwood
From my review –

While re-reading parts of the book, to refresh my memory, I really fell in love with the characters. Okay… I fell in love with Reynard. His dilemma, even knowing how it ends, still got to me. I really do like Ashe, now that she isn’t butting heads with Holly, thinking she knows better than her little sis. And Miru-Kai. A character like him just doesn’t just disappear without being heard from again. I wonder when and where we’ll be seeing him again. I hope the author has plans for him.

Additional Remarks: This is the third book from The Dark Forgotten series and won the author a RITA in the Paranormal Romance category. Unfortunately, Frostbound (the fourth book) was also the last. The author has announced a new series she’s contracted for with Harlequin Nocturne.

#5 is. . .
Tiger Eye by Marjorie M. Liu
From my review —

I liked Dela and Hari. They’re both good, decent people. Hari’s been through a lot, but it never destroyed his core ethics. There were a couple of times I agreed with Hari and the others when Dela seemed to be a bit blasé about her safety — but I also agree with her reasoning, that she couldn’t just hide under the bed all the time either.  I really loved this book. One of the things I wanted to learn about was Dirk & Steele itself: how Dela was connected to it, what was its purpose. The game barely touches on it. I also wanted to know more about Roland, too, but like Charlie from “Charlie’s Angels”, he’s only heard from, not seen.

Additional Remarks: This is the first book in the Dirk & Steele series. One of my goals for next year is to get caught up with the series. Within the Flames, the 11th book, was recently released.

#4 is. . .
Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
From my notes —

If Visions of Heat re-kindled my interest in this series, then Caressed by Ice solidified it. I loved this book. It was different from its two predecessors because the roles were reversed: it featured a male Psy and a female changeling, a SnowDancer wolf this time instead of a DarkRiver cat. Judd is already out of the Net, though he’s still connected to his small family one consisting of his brother Walker, his nieces Sienna and Marlee, and nephew Toby. His problems center around his very deadly abilities and the safeguards in place to protect those around him should he break conditioning. Brenna has come a long way since her rescue in the first book, but she’s still not completely healed. She’s also dealing with two overprotective brothers who are not happy about her growing interest in Judd. Another difference is the fact that Judd and Brenna aren’t complete strangers. Judd has lived with the wolves for some time, and though there may not have been much interaction prior to her abduction, he probably knew who she was at least. I’ve become a fan of this author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Additional Remarks: Caressed by Ice is the third book in the Psy-Changeling series. My goal this year was to read all the books before the most recent, Kiss of Snow, was published in paperback. I almost reached it. I had only one more to read. Next year, I hope to read her Guild Hunter series.

#3 is. . .
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch
From my July write-up —

I loved this book! I loved Kitty! And Jeff! And Kitty’s parents! I wish I’d started this series sooner. Thankfully, I have the next two on hand.

Additional Remarks: This is the first book in the Katherine “Kitty” Katt series. And it’s another series I hope to catch up with in 2012.

#2 is. . .
Storm’s Heart by Thea Harrison
From my notes —

I might be in the minority, but I liked this book more than Dragon Bound and Serpent’s Kiss. As much as I liked Dragos, I know that Pia’s got an uphill battle on her hands. And Rune and Carling as a couple didn’t work for me. However, I thought Tiago and Niniane had more of a true partnership. Tiago may be a warlord and used to being in charge, but he was also more adaptable. He and Niniane actually talk about things, discuss the future and the problems they are facing.

Additional Remarks:  This is the second book in the Elder Races series.  Had I actually picked the books, Storm’s Heart would have been in the top five.  It is the book I used to swap out Buffalo West Wing.

#1 is. . .
Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh
From my notes —

I loved the fact that both Mercy and Riley were Changelings, the first book where neither party is Psy (or part-Psy). I loved watching them try to figure out their relationship and how that will affect their standings in their respective packs

I liked Mercy. She’s a Sentinel, but she isn’t adverse to being mated and having children. She’s afraid that her dominant leopard will prevent her from accepting the mating bond. Now that Lucas and all the male Sentinels are mated, Mercy’s hard pressed to find a dominant male in the DarkRiver pack that can take her on. She’ll have to look elsewhere — or given into the temptation that is SnowDancer lieutenant Riley Kincaid.

Riley is the strong, silent type. He’s the calm, level-headed one, which is why Hawke made him the liaison to DarkRiver in the first place. He still suffers guilt for not being able to protect his baby sister Brenna, who he raised from near infancy after the death of their parents. Riley’s first instinct is to protect, something that Mercy baulks at — she’s fully capable of taking care of herself.

There are a lot of other things going on in the book — stuff the deals with the on-going plots concerning the Psy Council, the Human Alliance, and the Ghost. Plus, we get a bit more about Hawke and the situation with Sienna, and Sascha gets two very different surprises.

Additional Remarks: This is the sixth book in the Psy-Changeling series.  I fell in love with this series this year and that probably contributed to my problems choosing books for this list. Though Branded by Fire is NOT the book I would have chosen as #1, I was content to leave it in place when I randomized the list for the final time — same with Caressed by Ice.

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Waiting on Wednesdays is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, featuring upcoming releases we’re eagerly anticipating.

The previous book was my favorite, so far, in the series: a new president, and the possibility of a new relationship for Ollie. I was looking forward to this book — but when I saw that she’s teaming up with Sargeant, I was positively giddy. Talk about conflict! They can’t stand each other! As much as I love this series, I still roll my eyes at a statement like, “. . .must work together to solve the double murder. . .” The chef and the sensitivity director investigating a murder? Really? What, all the law enforcement agencies were too busy?

Affairs of Steak (Julie Hyzy)

Title: Affairs of Steak
Author: Julie Hyzy
Release Date: January 3, 2012 (Berkley)
ISBN: 978-0-425-24583-5
Series: White House Chef Mystery #5
Genre: Mystery

From Goodreads.com: White House chef Olivia Paras and her arch nemesis, White House Sensitivity Director Peter Everett Sargeant, must work together to solve the double murder of one of the First Lady’s assistants and the Chief of Staff-before they become the next victims of a merciless assassin with a secret agenda.

What book are you eagerly waiting for?

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The list isn’t in any particular ranking order. I’ve tried to keep it in the order I read the books. A few even have reviews.

January

I started the year out with a new author and series to follow. . .

Black Wings (Christina Henry) (Madeline Black #1) – A quote from my review: “The story is nearly non-stop action. I found it hard to put down at times because I was caught up in what was going on and I wanted to know what would happen next. I will definitely be reading the next book.”

And the next book in a favorite series.

Buffalo West Wing (Julie Hyzy) (White House Chef #4) – A quote from my review:  “This book is my favorite one, so far, in this series. The mystery and the secondary story lines really worked for me. Ollie has matured in her role as the executive chef.”

February

The love of power. . .

Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil (Drew Karpyshyn) (Darth Bane #3) – A quote from my review: “I loved this book. It was so much better than Rule of Two. I’ve enjoyed reading the Darth Bane trilogy, having a Sith as the main character and rooting for someone who would ordinarily be considered the villain.”

and the power of love.

Unchained (Sharon Ashwood) (The Dark Forgotten #3) – A quote from my review:  “I fell in love with Reynard. His dilemma, even knowing how it ends, still got to me. I really do like Ashe, now that she isn’t butting heads with Holly, thinking she knows better than her little sis.”

March

The official start of  my reading roll.  It was also the month the bookshelf bingo game began.

From Austin, Texas. . .

Queen of Shadows (Dianne Sylvan) (Shadow World #1) – A quote from the game:  “The characters really made this book for me. Miranda was a strong character and I liked her a lot.”

To outer-space.

Song of Scarabaeus (Sara Creasy) (Scarabaeus #1) – A quote from the game:  “I loved it.”  Science Fiction, with romantic elements.  Edie’s valuable because of her abilities and Finn is considered expandable because he’s a slave.  Both want to be free.

April

April was the month I finally got around to starting The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) (The Hunger Games #1) – A quote from the game:  “I liked Katniss right away.  Her having to shoulder so much responsibility at such a young age, not one to trust others easily, or get too close to them emotionally.  I saw and understood how all that colored her thinking.”

A book with a different take on vampires. . .

Darkness Dawns (Dianne Duvall) (Immortal Guardians #1) – A quote from my review:  “Though [Sarah] wouldn’t last long going up against a vampire alone, she’s no helpless damsel-in-distress either. She save Roland’s life. She strong enough not to fall to pieces at the first sign of danger. She’s pretty good with a gun, having learned to use one while she was living in Texas, and she can definitely fight back — she stabs someone in the butt.”

May

In May, I read three books in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series:

Visions of Heat (Bk #2), Caressed by Ice (Bk #3), Mine to Possess (Bk #4) – Though I had a lukewarm opinion of the first book in this series, I had intended to give the series another chance. I finally got around to reading the second book and was hooked! I literally scarfed up the next two as well. I plan to get caught up with this series, so when Hawke’s book comes out in paperback, I can just jump right in.

Also — a fantasy that read almost like an urban fantasy:

Magic Lost, Trouble Found (Lisa Shearin) (Raine Benares #1) – A quote from the game: “Raine reminded me of Kate Daniels in many was.  She’s protective of those she cares about and she won’t sit idly by while others put themselves in danger because of her.  Plus, she’s sarcastic.”

June

June was all about love!

Magic Slays (Ilona Andrews) (Kate Daniels #5) – From my comment on Goodreads: ” Love it. I liked that we got to see how Kate and Curran are coping with their relationship.  I thought the dinner scene, the first few moments of it, had a “first date” vibe to it — shy and awkward.  Very sweet.  And who knew the Beast Lord was such a romantic.”

Renegade Angel (Kendra Leigh Castle) – From my comment on Goodreads:  “I loved it. I felt it could have been a feature length book and I wonder if the author plans to write more set in this world. There were plenty of secondary characters that I would have liked to know more about.”

Frostbound (Sharon Ashwood) (The Dark Forgotten #4) – I’ve loved this series from the first.  Like the others, there is a strong family theme.  Lore and Talia are perfect for each other.

Red Heat (Nina Bruhns) (Men in Uniform #1) – As I stated in the June update, this was an unexpected read for me.  I got hooked from the first page.

Touched by an Alien (Gini Koch) (Katherine “Kitty” Katt #1) – I loved this book!  I loved Kitty!  And Jeff!  And Kitty’s parents! I wish I’d stated this series sooner.  Thankfully, I have the next two on hand.

And that’s it!

Buffalo West Wing (Julie Hyzy)

Title: Buffalo West Wing
Author: Julie Hyzy
Copyright: 2011 (Berkley); 275 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-425-23923-0
Series: White House Chef Mystery #4
Sensuality: NA
Genre: Mystery

SPOILERS! But NOT for the Mystery!

It’s Inauguration Day, so things are busy for Ollie and her staff at the White House. A box of take-out chicken wings, intended for First Kids Abigail and Josh Hyden, mysteriously shows up in the kitchen. There is no note explaining who it came from and no eyewitnesses to verify how it got into the White House. Ollie follows protocol and puts it aside to give to the Secret Service. However, the First Kids see the box and, of course, they’re eager to dig in. Ollie refuses to give it to them until it’s been cleared, disappointing the youngsters. Several people, including the First Lady, think that Ollie’s over-reacting, that she should have given the box of wings to Abby and Josh.

Ollie soon learns that the wings were, in fact, poisoned. However, the Secret Service has forbidden those who are privy to this knowledge from mentioning it to anyone else, including the First Lady. This doesn’t bode well for Ollie, since she’s gotten off on the wrong foot with Mrs. Hyden for not consulting her about the wings in the first place, and now it looks like Ollie might be out of a job since the Hyden’s are bringing in their personal chef.

Comments: This book is my favorite one, so far, in this series. The mystery and the secondary story lines really worked for me. Ollie has matured in her role as the executive chef. She’s gotten better at handling Peter Sargeant, the snobby and pompous sensitivity director, who constantly hopes she gets fired. Added to the mix is Virgil Ballantine, personal chef to the First Family. On several occasions, his actions either make Ollie look bad or puts her in a difficult position. Ollie handles each situation like a mature, reasonable adult. She is dedicated to doing her best, and doesn’t require the press and notoriety the others — people like Sargeant and Virgil — seek out.

I really do like Ollie, even with her flaws. It makes her real. She has an earnest desire to help protect the White House and the First Family. But there’s a big difference between keeping a low profile, yet still be vigilant to suspicious activity — and putting one’s nose into the Secret Service’s business, questioning their decisions, etc. Ollie may think she’s being helpful, but in a town where appearances are so important, her intentions are almost irrelevant . First, her behavior gives the impression that the Secret Service can’t do its job; that the cook had to save the day while they bumbled around like the Keystone Cops. Secondly, people like Sargeant will see Ollie’s involvement as her trying to score points with the First Family. The end of the scene were Sargeant smugly informs Ollie he intends to “keep close tabs on the children” during their transition illustrates this:

“It’s about time the First Family sees my worth rather than be dazzled by the stunts you pull. I’m looking forward to the next several weeks.”

I glared at him, knowing in my heart he was wrong, but knowing just as clearly that he would never admit it. My “stunts” had saved the White House — and its staff — from several embarrassing incidents. Was it too much to ask for a little respect from our sensitivity director?

At the door, he turned back. “After all your shenanigans, it’s my turn now.”

Ollie maybe better at handling his annoying commentary and hints, but she doesn’t truly understands him. Sargeant is all about getting ahead, being “teacher’s pet”, and nothing is going to make him see her actions in any other light. The book doesn’t show his reaction to Ollie’s heroics in this book, but even if Ollie were to take a bullet for the president himself, Sargeant would still see her “stunt” as trying to insinuate herself into the First Family’s good graces. It would never occur to him that she would do something selfless out of respect for the office or for the greater good, that such acts are part of her nature.

Later in the book, after Ollie tells Bucky and Cyan about Virgil and they discuss whether her past “shenanigans” may contribute to the Hydens booting her permanently, Bucky remarks:

“I know you don’t want to talk about why you and Tom broke up, but I have my suspicions. You’ve got to true to your nature, Ollie, and you usually are. But don’t for minute underestimate the challenges you’re stuck with because of it.”

One of the reasons I think the author saddles Ollie with the likes Sargeant and Virgil is to illustrate that point. Both men are self-serving jerks, each in their own way, yet Ollie suffers for doing the right thing, or for what she believes is the right thing.

Which brings me to Tom. If a reader picked this book up before reading the earlier ones, they would think that Tom MacKenzie was a control freak who didn’t appreciate or understand Ollie, based on her views of him and their past together. Tom is a sweetheart of a guy. While it’s true he was never happy with her getting involved in the cases, he didn’t try to run her life. Tom is a dedicated and as serious about his job as Ollie is regarding her own. Ollie would not be any more pleased to have some unqualified person — Sargeant, for example — questioning her ability to cater a State dinner, than members of the PPD would be with Ollie’s inquisitiveness. In the previous book, Ollie ended the relationship initially citing the threat Tom’s boss made regarding holding him responsible for her behavior. Shortly afterward, she does wonder if she was being completely altruistic in her motives, that she did it so she could freely poke her nose into thing with a clear conscience.

My heart truly aches for Tom. When they broke up, Ollie also told Tom she couldn’t stay with him because she couldn’t be herself when she was with him. This admission hit Tom hard, “like somebody punched him in the gut”. I think that Tom is still in love with Ollie. And to add insult to injury, she seems to be seriously interested in another agent, one who doesn’t work in the White House — one who seems just as much as a sweetheart as Tom, but also seems to understand her “need to be useful”. When Ollie visits Tom’s office on a job-related matter, she also asks whether the other agent has been reassigned since she hasn’t heard from him for several days. Tom looks “hurt, curious, and sad”. He assures her that the agent in question is still on the investigation, but will not be in communication with the PPD for a period of time. Ollie presses for a more specific time frame and Tom tells her:

“Don’t push me, Ollie.  This is hard enough.”

“I understand,” I said, even though I didn’t.

And that, Ollie, is part of the problem.

Despite this, I still loved the book.  It made me think and care about the character’s future.  I understand that, if Ollie wasn’t inquisitive or in the thick of things, there would be no series.  And I can also understand why there might have been a reason (for the author) to end the relationship.  There is no realistic way Tom could turn a blind eye to Ollie’s actions and still be the head of the PPD.  People (Sargeant, again!) would see such behavior as his condoning it.  The new guy is different in that he doesn’t work in the same environment, so he won’t always be around as much (or so I assume).  He also comes with his own history, so there’s no way to predict how the relationship will develop.  I also think he’s perceptive enough to have picked up on Tom’s true feelings for Ollie and that could add another aspect to the development.  I’m looking forward to seeing how thing will proceed, and I’m very eager for the next White House Chef book.

Start: 10 January 2011
Finished: 16 January 2011

Rating:

Loved It!

==========================================

Other Books in the Series:

==========================================

Disclaimer: I purchased this book.

Week Ending 9 Jan 2011

From Amazon.com (Pre-order and/or gift card):

• Buffalo West Wing (White House Chef #4) (Julie Hyzy)
• Taken By the Others (Jess Haines)

From Barnes and Noble (Gift Card):

• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (N. K. Jemisin)
• Paranormalcy (Kiersten White)

~~ & ~~

I’ve been following the White House Chef series from the beginning. It will be my next read — reading this series in January has become a tradition for me. I haven’t started the series by Haines, but every time I see the title, I think of LOST (Others? Ben, Juliet, Ethan?)

The books from Barnes and Noble are books that caught my interest. I’m looking forward to reading them both.

Waiting on Wednesdays is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, featuring upcoming releases we’re eagerly anticipating.

It’s almost a tradition for me. Every January, since 2008, I’ve read the newest release in this series. I’m looking forward to seeing how Ollie deals with the new administration, and see what’s going on with the rest of her staff and Tom.

Buffalo West Wing (Julie Hyzy)

Title: Buffalo West Wing
Author: Julie Hyzy
Release Date: January 2011 (Berkley)
ISBN: 978-0-425-23923-0
Series: White House Chef Mystery #4
Genre: Mystery

Amazon.com: With a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can’t afford to make any mistakes. But when a box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids, she soon finds herself in a “no-wing” situation. After Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the First Lady gives her the cold shoulder. But when it turns out to be poisoned poultry, Olivia realizes the kids are true targets.

What book are you eagerly waiting for?

Eggsecutive Orders

Title: Eggsecutive Orders
Author: Julie Hyzy
Copyright: 2010 (Berkley); 310 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-425-23203-3
Series: White House Chef #3
Sensuality: N/A
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Who: Olivia “Ollie” Paras, White House Executive Chef

Spoilers, but NOT about the mystery!

The Victim: NSA Special Agent Carl Minkus. Had a Joe McCarthy-like reputation when it came to people he suspected of having terrorist ties. His death is sudden and it is believed that he was poisoned.

The Suspects: Quiet a few, as it would be expected when it comes to a man like Minkus, who has dealings with people he suspects of being spies or terrorists. However, Ollie and her staff come under suspicion because he died after eating at the White House.

The Investigation: Ollie and her crew are banned from the White House. Naturally, Ollie is upset and wants to defend the reputation of her staff. She’s being pressured by the Secret Service to keep her nose out of their investigation. Tom, her Secret Service boyfriend, has been told that he’s being held responsible for her actions; that if she gets too involved, he’ll be reassigned from the Presidential Protective Detail. Ollie has no intentions of getting involved in the actual investigation. The Easter Egg Roll is just around the corner and her staff has a lot of things to do for the event. She wants to know when they can return to the kitchen, and if there is anything she can do to make that happen sooner.

Meanwhile: Ollie’s mother and grandmother are visiting. Her plans to show them the White House and have them attend the Easter Egg Roll are on hold, pending the outcome of the investigation. However, Ollie can’t seem to avoid the investigation. She accidentally encounters Ruth Minkus and her son, Joel while sight-seeing with her family, and an “investigative” journalist keeps printing things about her and the incidents at the White House.

Unexpected Developments: Corinne, Ollie’s mother, flirts with a guy that Ollie’s not really sure about. Corinne actually goes out on a date with the man. Apparently, romance is in the air. In the course of the book, Ollie learns of two other romances — just as her relationship with Tom is falling apart.

Fun Fact: While I was reading this book, the History Channel had a special about the White House, filmed during the last year or so of the previous administration, and it featured the real executive chef and chief usher.

The Verdict: I liked this one better than the last one. I thought the mystery was more believable. Ollie continues to be a little too stubborn for her own good and, in this book, it comes with consequences. Poor Tom, I really felt for him.

Recommended for: Mystery lovers and foodies (there are recipes in the back).

Started: 10 January 2010
Finished: 20 January 2010

Rating:

Liked A Lot

Disclaimer: I purchased this book.

Hail to the Chef

Author:Julie Hyzy
Copyright:2008 (Berkley); 328 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-425-22499-1
Series: 2nd in the White House Chef Mystery series

Where & When: Thanksgiving, Washington, DC
Who: Olivia Paras, White House Executive Chef

In the second book, Ollie and the White House staff are preparing for the holiday season and the First Lady is playing matchmaker. The President’s single, good-looking nephew, Sam Sean Baxter, is visiting and Mrs. Campbell asks Ollie to convince Sam Sean to spend Thanksgiving at the White House. The First Lady is unaware of Ollie’s relationship with Secret Service Agent Tom MacKenzie, who is on the President’s security detail.  Ollie is gratified to know that Mrs. Campbell thinks so highly of her, but she’s stumped on how to diplomatically tell the First Lady she’s not interested in Sam Sean and keep her relationship with Tom private.

A security incident occurs and Ollie is sequestered with Mrs. Campbell and Sam Sean until an all-clear is given. She learns that Mrs. Campbell’s business partners — and life-long friends — are pressuring her to agree to sell the company they jointly own. Sam Sean, as her financial adviser, is telling her she shouldn’t sell.

With Thanksgiving and the start of the official holiday season just days away, the staff can’t afford to be held up by security threats and bomb scares. Because of the latest incident, the staff has to attend mandatory Improvised Explosive Device (IED) recognition training. Ollie gets off on the wrong foot with the special agent-in-change, and he singles her out at the first meeting. His persistence in making sure she fully understands the gravity of the situation pays off later when Ollie stumbles upon something where it shouldn’t be.

The staff receives a blow to their morale when the head electrician is accidentally electrocuted. Ollie can’t believe a man as experienced as Gene was could have made such a careless mistake. She questions a friend who comes up with a theory on what may have happened, but none of the other staff electricians want to listen to her theory.

Then, on Thanksgiving day, the First Lady receives news that Sam Sean has committed suicide. Even knowing him for such such a short time, Ollie is convinced that he wasn’t suicidal. There’s no time for her to poke her nose into things, however. Even with the recent tragedy, most of the scheduled events will go on as planned. Ollie and the rest of the staff are busy as ever. Conversations she has overheard, and a letter addressed to her written by Sam Sean, point to the possibility that maybe he was eliminated by someone who wants the First Lady to sell the company her father co-founded. All of the other partners want the sale to happen, but one is having finical and legal troubles, and that may have led to the death of Mrs. Campbell’s father as well as Sam Sean.

I liked this book more than the first one, primarily because Ollie isn’t stubbornly putting her nose into things as much as she did in the first book, and she is more confident in her new position. There is still the occasional encounter with the jerk of a sensitivity director, but she is now an equal and he has no influence over her. She’s even better at handling Bucky, the snarky assistant chef and her second-in-command. Tom doesn’t get much time in this book, because of his job, but they are still a couple.

As for the who-done-it part, I thought it was a bit far-fetched. The real draw, for me, is Ollie and the staff. I’m not a foodie, but I loved reading about the behind-the-scenes preparations. Like the previous book, recipes for the food served by the staff are provided, including one for gingerbread men.

Started: 1 January 2009
Finished: 1 January 2009

Rating:

Liked A Lot