What I'm reading Fridays:Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

First of all, my coaster idea is working AWESOME-only 5 dirty glasses. The kiddo's thought it was really fun to each get their own custom coasters and they actually followed through. Hopefully we're not just in a honeymoon phase. I'll update you in a month.


Amazon Best of the Month, April 2009: It's the beginning of a lazy summer in 1950 at the sleepy English village of Bishop's Lacey. Up at the great house of Buckshaw, aspiring chemist Flavia de Luce passes the time tinkering in the laboratory she's inherited from her deceased mother and an eccentric great uncle. When Flavia discovers a murdered stranger in the cucumber patch outside her bedroom window early one morning, she decides to leave aside her flasks and Bunsen burners to solve the crime herself, much to the chagrin of the local authorities. But who can blame her? What else does an eleven-year-old science prodigy have to do when left to her own devices? With her widowed father and two older sisters far too preoccupied with their own pursuits and passions—stamp collecting, adventure novels, and boys respectively—Flavia takes off on her trusty bicycle Gladys to catch a murderer. In Alan Bradley's critically acclaimed debut mystery, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, adult readers will be totally charmed by this fearless, funny, and unflappable kid sleuth. But don't be fooled: this carefully plotted detective novel (the first in a new series) features plenty of unexpected twists and turns and loads of tasty period detail. As the pages fly by, you'll be rooting for this curious combination of Harriet the Spy and Sherlock Holmes. Go ahead, take a bite. --Lauren Nemroff

I read a lot and am always on the lookout for a good book recommendation. I saw this on my friend's blog here .

You should check out here review, b/c it is much better than mine and I love her favorite quotes section.

She mentioned that her son loved it and so I thought it would be a great book that both my daughter and I could enjoy. She never really got into, but she's super busy and isn't doing any reading. I'll have her try again this summer.

Except for a few chapters I read at a kid's practice, I listened to it while sewing for my etsy shop. I actually actually, enjoyed the audio version so much more. It was just such a great story to be read aloud. It could also be that sewing is more fun than sitting at basketball practice.

I fell instantly in love with the precocious Flavia. She reminded me a little of Anne from Green Gable's fame. I also loved all the references she constantly made. If the the Gilmore Girls were set in 1950's England and were obsessed with Chemistry, it might be something like this book.

Overall it was simply charming and a much needed break from "teenage paranormal romance". (does anyone else feel like the publishing world these days is a little stuck on vampires?)

There's a few more in the series. I'm a little scared to check them out. I can't imagine they will be as good.