Four 'Green' Reads for Adults in March

Whether it's Irish peat bogs, whimsical recipes or tall-tale tellers,  will keep you in the green this month. Check out their too.  

“7 Money rules for Life” by Mary Hunt

Financial expert Mary Hunt, founder of the organization “Debt-Proof Living”, provides prudent, common sense advice in her new book. Ms. Hunt shares her past personal struggles with consumer debt, and explains the lessons she learned while putting herself back on track to financial security. Hunt summarizes the main lessons into the following rules: spend less than you earn, save for the future, give some away, anticipate your irregular expenses, tell your money where to go, manage your credit, and borrow only what you can afford to repay. Hunt writes in a friendly, encouraging way, and frequently references her own experiences.  Readers of all income levels will find valuable advice for getting out of debt, and remaining debt free. (Non-fiction, consumer debt) —Review by Erin Holl

“Wildly affordable organic: eat fabulous food, get healthy, and save the planet—all on $5 a day or less” by Linda Watson 

Organic food means expensive, right? Author and organic chef Linda Watson offers her ideas and recipes for buying green, eating green, and saving green. During the first half of the book, readers learn of the experiment that Watson and her husband took part in during a summer:  spend less than $2 on each meal. This price drop forced them to recreate menus, rethink “regular” grocery shopping, and embrace their freezer and their farmers’ markets. The second half of the book provides recipe ideas such as low-salt Better Blueberry Pancakes, Magic Quiche with Asparagus and homemade "Whisk" breads and tortillas. Readers interested in healthy and practical meal-planning will find this book scrumptious. —Review by Sarah Iverson

“The Guards” by Ken Bruen  

The first entry in the excellently written Jack Taylor series, “The Guards” finds Jack Taylor recently ousted from the Garda Siochana— the Guards, Ireland’s police force. While nursing his disappointment in a Galway Pub, he is approached by a mysterious woman named Ann. Ann is hoping to hire Taylor to investigate the recent death of her daughter, which had previously been ruled a suicide. Taylor makes his debut as a private investigator in his quest to solve this young woman’s death, which is looking increasingly like a murder by a potential serial killer. “The Guards” is a tense, absorbing crime drama. Hilarious and grim at the same time, it provides a front row seat to the streets of Galway. “The Guards” was a winner of the 2004 Shamus Award for Best Novel, and a nominee for the 2004 Edgar Award for Best Novel. (thriller) —Review by Erin Holl

 “Lake of Sorrows” by Erin Hart

In March of 2011, Erin Hart’s first book  was highlighted on Patch. “Lake of Sorrows” is the second book in the Nora Gavin and Cormac Maguire series. Once again, we are introduced to the countryside of Ireland. At the start of the mystery, pathologist Dr. Gavin is called to an archaeological site to assist in an excavation. The location of the well-preserved body is extremely unique— the Lake of Sorrows or Loughnabrone, is a peat bog. Moments after the discovery of the ancient body, the team realizes that yet another corpse is lurking in the bog, this one wearing a modern watch. With the help of investigative partner and archeologist Cormac Maguire, Nora strives to solve the mysteries that surround Lake of Sorrows. Readers who enjoy Ireland as a strong setting, complex characters, and Minnesota authors should check this out. (mystery) —Review by Sarah Iverson