(Image from Barnes & Noble)

"I had my protective shell of funny talk and shyness, but underneath that lived a wilder me, a girl who would take punishment, and take it, and take it, but who would never let go of herself all the way, never completely surrender" (87).

Marjorie Richards knows all about fear. The 17-year-old can't go home without feeling it, she can't walk the school corridors without experiencing it and, now that teenage girls are disappearing in her rural New Hampshire community, she can't go anywhere at all without constantly looking over her shoulder. Marjorie's reclusive parents have always told her the outside world isn't safe - she's starting to believe them.

Unlike her parents, though, Marjorie can't hide out in the hills. She's required by law to attend school. Even though her classmates snicker about the way she talks, her teachers raise their eyebrows at her bruises, and more than one boy makes it clear what he wants from her, Marjorie craves the normality of it all. When she's hired to help Arturo "Sands" Ivers, a 24-year-old stranger in town, build a church, she spends even more time basking in the freedom of life away from her cruel parents. As intoxicating as it is to be out from under their constant supervision, Marjorie's afraid to step too far away from her mother and father. She pities them, but mostly she fears what they will do if she dares defy them. The paycheck she brings them every month may be the only thing that keeps them from killing her outright.

As Marjorie grows more comfortable with her job as an assistant stonemason - and with her inscrutable boss - she feels her confidence growing. But will it be enough to save her from her parents' escalating sadism? Or the vicious murderer, who may be closer to Marjorie than she knows? Will it be enough to rescue her from the squalid fate for which she seems destined? Or will she become just another victim - of poverty, of abuse, and of a violent killer?

(Readalikes: Reminds me a lot of Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell and a little of Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for mild language, sexual innuendo/content, and violence

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Since Hannah is, primarily, a cookie baker, the majority of "her" recipes are for just that. From drop cookies to bar cookies to cut-out cookies to a cookie pizza, the variety is dazzling. Hannah's specialty might be cookies, but that's not all she does - "her" cookbook includes instructions for making several different types of candy, muffins, cakes, cupcakes, pies, even soups and salads. All of the recipes look delicious, are clearly worded and seem to be doable even for newbie bakers. Oh, and did I mention the substitutions list that starts on Page 323? I've never seen the like - who knew there were substitutes for brown sugar, self-rising flour, even eggs? I didn't.

Those bakers who also love the Hannah Swenson books will enjoy the story that runs through the cookbook. It's nothing terribly exciting (no one gets killed anyway) and you won't miss any important plot developments by ignoring it, but it's kind of fun to read about Hannah's catering woes during an oncoming snowstorm. Also, on the inside book covers is a quaint, colorful map of Lake Eden - something I, at least, have never seen before. It's a fun visual that helps bring Fluke's stories to life.

My complaints about the cookbook are few. I would have liked a bigger, spiral-bound version, which would make the book much more kitchen-friendly. As is, it's formatted like another volume in the series - hardbound, with no color (except on the map). Also, it would have been really nice to see color photos of each of the finished products, since, without a picture, I'm never sure if what I baked looks like it's supposed to look. Additionally, the recipes do not include any nutritional info at all. Considering how much fat and sugar are in many of them, maybe it's better that I not know!

Despite those little annoyances, I've been really pleased with Lake Eden Cookbook: Hannah Swensen's Recipes From The Cookie Jar. I can't wait to try more of the recipes, since they all look fantastic. If you've got a Fluke fan or a baker or both on your Christmas list this year, search this one out. Seriously. Just thinking about baking more of Hannah's sweet treats makes me salivate. Mmm, mmm, mmm. I hope Fluke's coming out with a diet cookbook next - I'm definitely going to need it!

(Readalikes: All the books in Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen series, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, Strawberry Shortcake Murder, Blueberry Muffin Murder and Lemon Meringue Pie Murder)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for very mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love: I bought The Lake Eden Cookbook from Amazon with some of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.)

I must have been really overloaded on Halloween candy when I selected the recipes I wanted to make for this blog post. Usually, I go straight for the chocolate, but the two treats I selected both involve fruit (which totally makes them healthy, right?). Enjoy!

Oh, and in the recipes, comments in parantheses are Fluke's/Swensen's, comments in brackets are mine.

FAKE ORANGE JULIUS

3 cups orange juice (you'll need 6 cups in all)

Pour the 3 cups of orange juice into a blender. Add the envelope of dry Dream Whip and the dry pudding mix. Blend for one minute on LOW and then for another minute on MEDIUM speed.

Pour the mixture into a 2-quart pitcher. Add the remaining 3 cups of orange juice and stir well.

Yield: Makes almost 2 quarts

When you've finished forming and coating all your lime balls and placing them in the cake pan, cover them with another sheet of wax paper and refrigerate them for 2 to 3 hours before serving. If you're not serving them for several days, place a sheet of foil over the cake pan and secure it tightly. keep the cake pan in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.