Arsenic and Adobo

This summer we are highlighting #OwnVoices books. #OwnVoices, a hashtag created by Corinne Duyvis, highlights books that are written by an author that shares a marginalized identity with the protagonist because the best people to represent a marginalized group are those who experience that marginalization. We love being able to share these great books by amazing authors with you! 

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Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

Arsenic and Adobo is a contemporary fictitious mystery by Mia P. Manansala. This novel, the first book in the forthcoming Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series, is an entertaining, quick read that will keep you guessing until the end.

The story starts as a romance novel with Lila Macapagal having just moved back home to Shady Palms to help her aunt. The author shows her sense of humor right away at the start of book as she compares the story to a Hallmark movie.

My name is Lila Macapagal and my life has become a rom-com cliché.

Not many romantic comedies feature an Asian-American lead (or dead bodies, but more on that later), but all the hallmarks are there.

Girl from an improbably named small town in the Midwest moves to the big city to make a name for herself and find love? Check.

Girl achieves these things only for the world to come crashing down when she walks in on her fiancé getting down and dirty with their next-door neighbors (yes, plural)? Double check.

Girl then moves back home in disgrace and finds work reinvigorating her aunt's failing business? Well now we're up to a hat trick of clichés.

And to put the cherry on top, in the trope of all tropes, I even reconnected with my high school sweetheart after moving back to town and discovered the true meaning of Christmas.

The book quickly captures your attention as you wonder if Lila will find love again in her hometown of Shady Palms and you soon meet a couple of primary characters that could be likely candidates. 

Even through the story starts out as a romance novel, the author has a surprise for you as the story takes a sudden turn and Lila is now not only in the middle of a murder investigation, but she is one of the main suspects!

Derek’s Salabat-Spiced Banana Bread from blog post
Cooking the Books: Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

 Filipino-American culture, traditions, and food are woven throughout the book. From the appearance of adobo in the meal in the very first chapter to the food served at the (multiple) funerals, food makes an appearance at every family event, gathering, and crisis. The author also includes recipes at the end of the book if you want to give a few dishes a try yourself!

Family also plays a center role in the book and throughout the book we see how family members are honored and treasured.  "Family” also extends far beyond the immediate biologic members to family friends as is shown by the role the aptly named “Calendar Aunts” play in the book.

There are so many great books written by Filipina authors. The Next Somewhere website has put together a lovely list of other books written by Filipina authors, including Arsenic and Adobo! If you see a book on the list we don't have at our Library that you'd like to read, just ask and we can borrow one for you for free through our state-wide inter-library loan system!

Homicide and Halo-Halo by Mia P. Manansala

The next book in the series, Homicide and Halo-Halo, is scheduled to come out in February 2022!

Puzzles and Cake Pans: There is so much to LOVE at Solon Public Library

Sphere 3D Cake Pan

Did you know that Solon Public Library has a large collection of cake pans for patrons to borrow? There are over 66 cake pans in all shapes and sizes in our catalog: rectangles, race cars, teddy bears, and trains just to name a few. One of the most recent additions to the collection is the silicone Sphere 3D Cake Pan spherical mold that could be used to create the latest craze: hot chocolate bombs!

Adult Services Librarian Alexis has created a video as part of her In the Kitchen series on how to use this new cake pan. She makes it look so easy to create professional looking Hot Chocolate Bombs that can be given as gifts or to celebrate with family.

For more baking inspiration, check out The Great British Baking Show Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, and Season 4 on DVD. This was one of the ways my family and I spent time together during the early days of pandemic shut-down. It was highly entertaining, and we were each cheering for our favorite contestant to win.

If you enjoy baking and are looking for something to do while waiting for your latest creation to come out of the oven, you can also check out Baking, a 300-piece puzzle. The Library puzzle collection is even more plentiful than our cake pans! With over 650 puzzles for patrons of all ages, from 24 to 2000 pieces, there is something for everyone.

All this talk about chocolate and baking might leave you hungry for the popular Hanna Swensen Mystery series by Joanne Fluke. Hannah’s latest adventure and Book #27 in the series was just released in February: Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murders. These stories promise hours of entertainment with zero calories, although you will definitely be tempted to make the delightful desserts along the way. You can read even more about Joanne Fluke's tasty mysteries in one of our other blog posts, The Cookie Jar Connections.

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What is your favorite dessert to bake? Do you prefer baked cookies or cookie dough? Do you respect the potential danger of raw eggs or throw caution to the wind and eat it by the spoonful?

Body Movers and Cozy Mysteries

Body Movers by Stephanie Bond

Body Movers is the first book in the Body Movers series by Stephanie Bond. The story takes place in Atlantia, GA and focuses on Carlotta Wren, who is in her later 20’s, and her younger brother, Wesley Wren, recently graduated from school. They were “silver spoon” kids leading the “good life” with unlimited possibilities ahead of them until their parents got caught in a white-collar crime and skipped bail, leaving them to fend for themselves. 

Carlotta’s life changed in an instant and her future dreams of a college education evaporated. Instead of starting college in the fall she instead takes a job at Neiman Marcus, determined to create a life for her and Wesley.

Wesley is a good guy but has a gambling problem that puts him and Carlotta in danger with loan sharks and their henchmen who don’t hesitate to visit when they attempt to collect payment.   Wesley tries to make things right and get back on track by taking a job picking up and moving dead bodies. He establishes a mentor /mentee relationship with his boss Coop Craft who tries to help him make good decisions.

The book provides plenty of unexpected, wacky plot twists that range from romance to murder to comedy.

Did you know that there are real life body movers? Check out Mortician Macie’s video on YouTube to learn more about what things are like in a day in the life of a funeral assistant. 

Body Movers is categorized as a cozy mystery, which means that it is a light read that allows you to sit back and enjoy without having to do a lot of thinking. With a resourceful, unique female lead with a comedic flair, this series is similar to books written by Janet Evanovich (like her Stephanie Plum series), and Nancy Martin’s Blackbird Sisters Mysteries.

The reviews from readers about Body Movers are all over the board, so you should read it yourself to determine where you think it falls in the 5 star ratings.

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What’s the most unexpected job you’ve found yourself doing to help support yourself and/or your family?