Tag: cooking

BONUS REVIEW: Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber

BONUS REVIEW: Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

In middle school, Sarah is starting to notice how her body is changing as she gets older. Nothing feels “normal” or “right.” And she feels like it is impacting how she plays basketball. And basketball means everything to Sarah.

So she starts thinking about what she can do to change things. Maybe like eating less and following the “rules” about food would help. Health class gives her some ideas. Her mom has a lot of food rules, too. In fact, there are times when Sarah’s mom forgets to go shopping, leaving nothing in the house for dinner or breakfast. Sarah’s dad travels for work, so he eats on the run a lot of the time. But Sarah’s a kid – she can’t just pick something up for herself.

And on top of all the other food drama – and basketball drama, and friend drama – Sarah starts cooking with her crush so they can try out for a kids cooking show. But so much of what they are cooking is against Sarah’s new rules.

When Sarah’s friends start to comment on how little she is eating, and it starts to negatively impact her on the court, everything comes to a tipping point.

Review

I really felt for Sarah in this! The author does an excellent job conveying Sarah’s thinking about food (and other topics) and showing how that impacts what Sarah thinks about herself. There’s a lot of conflicting information – and misinterpreted information. And then there’s the role Sarah’s parents play in the bigger picture of Sarah’s eating and food-related issues. I enjoyed the hopeful, supportive, yet direct way Sarah’s situation is handled.

Food and disordered eating is a huge piece of the story. And it could be overwhelming or triggering for some readers (TW). But that’s not the only thread in the story. There are some great basketball moments and some meaty friendship pieces to the book as well. The author does a great job here, as well, showing Sarah taking what she is learning in counseling and applying it to other areas of her life. I loved the positive messages in the book about therapy, too.

Obviously there’s a lot here for kids to sink their teeth into – the friendship issues, the cooking and cooking show pieces, the basketball, and the food/eating parts. This would be an excellent choice for a read-aloud or for book groups. I highly recommend this one! Some other great middle grade books that deal with disordered eating include Goodbye, Mr. Terupt, Everything I Know About You (♥♥♥♥½), and Still a Work in Progress (♥♥♥♥♥). (TW: Disordered eating/thinking about food)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney

REVIEW: Alice Fleck’s Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

To celebrate her last day of elementary school, Alice’s father gives her a phone. Sure, it’s a hand-me-down from his girlfriend, Hana, but a phone is a phone when you are about to start middle school.

Hana also has a gift for Alice. She entered Alice and her dad into a contest to win a spot on Culinary Chronicles, a TV cooking show. And they won.

Alice has learned the hard way that kids her age aren’t interested in the history of food and cooking, Victorian recipes, and the other things Alice and her dad love. But she doesn’t feel like she can say no to her dad or to Hana. Thankfully, Culinary Chronicles is on an obscure network, so no one will see her on TV. And it’s the nicest of the reality cooking shows with a lot of comradery on set. That’s the saving grace of this whole thing.

But when Alice and her dad get to the set, they discover Culinary Chronicles has been bought out by the most popular reality TV station. And they’ve changed the sweet format to something more cut throat. The judge is awful, and none of the contestants are having any fun. And it starts to look like someone is deliberately sabotaging the show. Alice and some new friends are determined to figure out what is really going on.

Review

This was fun. I wish the mystery elements and Alice’s team up with the other sleuths had started sooner and carried through the book. That was my favorite part of the story, but it cropped up late making the story feel a little uneven for me. The story begins with a focus on Alice and the drama of her dad having a girlfriend as well as her mixed feelings about her passions since it made finding friends at school so difficult. And those threads run from start to finish, but the mystery takes over for the last third or so.

I enjoyed all the ways Alice grows during the book – from her relationship with her dad and Hana to her shame over loving the things she loves. There’s a nice piece here about finding your people and embracing who you are rather than being ashamed of it. I loved that piece of the story.

Kids who love cooking shows and books about cooking (A Place at the Table, The Donut Fix and The Donut King, The World’s Greatest Chocolate-Covered Pork Chops, Summer of a Thousand Pies, From the Desk of Zoe Washington, etc.) should definitely pick this one up! The publisher’s information says this is for readers 10 and up.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

REVIEW: A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sara and Elizabeth meet at an afterschool cooking club at Sara’s new school. Her mom is teaching the class South Asian cuisine, and Elizabeth is taking it with her best friend, Maddy.

Sara’s struggling at the new school. Before this she went to a Muslim school. She knew all of her peers and felt like she fit in. Now, there are hundreds of other sixth graders, and even more 7th and 8th graders on top of that. Sara’s not sure she will ever fit in here.

Elizabeth and Maddy have been best friends for years, but ever since Elizabeth went away to summer camp, Maddy’s been more interested in being friends with another, more popular girl. With Elizabeth’s mom struggling with her grandmother’s death, things at home are strained, and now things at school are, too.

But Sara and Elizabeth find common ground at the cooking club. Sara might not like to cook, but she’s knowledgeable and skilled. Elizabeth loves the recipes they are cooking. And both girls, for different reasons, are coaching their mothers through the American citizenship curriculum. Maybe the moms could become friends, pass their tests, and life could get better – for both families.

Review

Outstanding! I loved this! Sara’s prickly at the start – at school and at home – so it takes a bit to warm up to her. But once I did, I adored the frank relationship she and Elizabeth have together, the freedom they have to ask religious and cultural questions of each other. (Elizabeth is Jewish, and her mom is British. Sara’s family is from Pakistan, and they are Muslim.)

All the threads – food, family, friendship, culture, anti-racism – are perfectly woven together. All of the pieces are kept in balance, and I loved every bit of it.

This is an excellent middle school friendship story that I think works for both older elementary and middle school students. The racism/anti-racism pieces are unambiguous, but also age appropriate for readers at the younger end of the range. There are creative elements with the food and cooking as well as Sara’s art that will appeal to kids. Mental health and mental illness (depression) are talked about in an age-appropriate way as well. This would be an excellent addition to classroom and home libraries as well as for reading aloud at school or at home. (Mental health/Depression)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan

BONUS REVIEW: Mousse and Murder by Elizabeth Logan

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke has been managing the family diner – The Bear Claw – in Elkview, Alaska, for about a year. Her main cook, Oliver, is a chef who trained in Paris. She has a circle of staff and friends who pitch in any time a tour bus threatens to overwhelm the smallish diner. And locals and tourists alike love the food, from the mooseloaf to the “grilled cheese extravaganza” to the cherry cheesecake mousse.

Charlie and Oliver were having something of a verbal tug-of-war over the diner menu. He wanted to remove the mousse from their offerings. She wanted to add chocolate to their signature bear claws. Sure, they had argued, and he had stormed off. But that was just what it was like sometimes when working with Oliver. When Oliver doesn’t return, Charlie calls in other staff to cover, figuring Oliver’s pout will be over soon. But no one at the diner is prepared for the news that Oliver was murdered.

Charlie’s shouting match with Oliver makes her a suspect, although not a serious one. But knowing how overloaded Alaskan law enforcement tends to be, Charlie and her friends decide to help track down a killer.

Review

This was fun! I loved the Alaskan setting as well as the diner. Both gave an opening for interesting characters and events in the story. I enjoyed Charlie and her sleuthing partner, Chris. The relationship with law enforcement in this book is fun. Trooper is willing to let Charlie and friends help as long as they are smart and careful. The deputizing routine is a hoot, especially in the end.

The cast of characters working in the diner were fun. Their camaraderie reminds me a little of the Bakeshop series crew in the early part of the series when we were getting to know everyone. I’m eager to see how this crew develops over time. There’s lots of potential for future stories and character development in this group. And Charlie’s relationship with her cat, Benny, was sweet, with some clever and unique twists that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The mystery was good. I had a suspect in mind super early on, but it was the wrong one. But I latched onto the right one about 2/3 of the way through the book. It was satisfying to watch the reveal come together in the end and find out I was right.

This was a great series kick off. Cozy mystery fans should not miss this one. Fans of culinary mysteries should add this to their TBR piles. There are two recipes included at the end of the book. Book 2, Fishing for Trouble, will be releasing later in 2020.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Hadley Beckett's Next Dish by Bethany Turner

REVIEW: Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and Revell in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Hadley was one of the last two contestants on America’s Fiercest Chef. She was going head-to-head against Max Cavanagh into the final round. And that’s when Max fell apart. He was drinking heavily, and he treated Hadley poorly. By the time the show was over and the winner was announced, one of the judges was wearing Hadley’s final dish.

It’s no surprise then that Max disappears for a few months, and his TV show on the Culinary Channel is put on hiatus.

It’s a huge surprise, though, when Max shows up at Hadley’s house to apologize.

Max seems sincere. He’s been in rehab. He’s sober. And he’s embarrassed by his behavior towards Hadley. Could the change be real? Or is this just a ploy to get her to agree to being on Renowned with him.? The show has never highlighted two chefs at once before. But putting Hadley and  the old Max together in a kitchen would be ratings gold! It’s less clear what new and reformed Max might be like, if he can even hold on to the changes he is trying to make in his life.

Review

I became a Bethany Turner fan after reading the spectacular The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck. But she has solidified that status with this book’s story and characters as well as a West Wing reference and a shout out to Aaron Rodgers in the acknowledgements. I have her second book, Wooing Cady McCaffrey, on my TBR shelves.

I enjoyed Hadley and Max’s story. The cooking scenes were so well written – fun and engaging without being technical or dry. And the cooking was a great backdrop for exploring the characters and their dynamic together. I was a little sad there were no recipes in my review copy. The foods sounded scrumptious.

I read this in one sitting. I was captivated by Max’s efforts to be a better version of himself. It was realistic because it wasn’t easy. His first instinct after all these years was to be critical and argumentative and demeaning. I loved watching how his relationship with Hadley helped him grow and learn a different way to be.

The Christian elements are subtle. I was thrilled that the faith pieces weren’t overwrought or wedged awkwardly in. But I would have liked more from the faith angle. For me this is more “clean” romance (meaning no sex scenes) than a blatantly Christian romance.

Fans of contemporary romance and romcoms – especially those who enjoy enemies-to-“lovers” stories – should check this one out. The faith pieces are light enough I don’t believe they will push away any reader who might be disinclined to read a faith-based story.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Al Dente's Inferno by Stephanie Cole

BONUS REVIEW: Al Dente’s Inferno by Stephanie Cole

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Nell Valenti has arrived in Italy for the opportunity of a lifetime. She’s there to work with the legendary Chef, Claudio Orlandini, her culinary hero.

Nell has been hired to take Villa Orlandini and turn it into a culinary school where tourists could come and learn from the famous chef. She would make any structural and equipment changes necessary, design a course of study, and promote the school. But the villa is not exactly in tip top shape. And neither is Chef Orlandini.

The Chef might be the big name draw, but he seems to play bocce more than he cooks these days. Parts of the villa look run down with old, worn, and mismatched furniture. There’s even a porcupine living in one of the rooms. Nell has a much larger job ahead of her than she had been led to believe.

Before she can really wrap her mind around all the work that needs to be done to transform the space into a cooking school, the occupants of the villa inform her they are throwing a dinner party to help with the launch of the school. But when someone is killed and Chef disappears, Nell has to wonder if the school even has a chance.

Review

I struggled with this one. I didn’t click with the characters or the story in a way that propelled me forward. It was too easy to set this down and pick up other books instead. I didn’t get a good sense of the cooking school pieces or Nell’s expertise to pull that off. The author tried to set up some interesting dynamics with Nell’s family, but it was more tell than show until the last part of the book. It didn’t have a chance to grow into all it could have been. And while it’s obvious that a story in Italy is going to have Italian-speaking characters and translation issues, this was often a distraction or interruption to the flow of the story for me.

There’s potential here. Nell seems to have an interesting background. I liked the potential love interest and the way he and Nell interacted. The setting – the villa, the cooking school angle – could be developed nicely. Personally, though, this didn’t click. I didn’t get a great sense of the victim, the suspects, or the larger group at the villa. Characters are a huge part of books and reading for me, and these didn’t draw me in.

The mystery is solid, and I enjoyed some of the latter scenes in the book where Nell works through some clues. I might try a second book in this series to see how the characters develop, especially if Nell’s parents are going to be part of the story. That dynamic is fascinating to me.

Rating: ♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Doughnut King by Jessie Janowitz

REVIEW: The Doughnut King by Jessie Janowitz

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Tristan and Josh achieved their goal of making the “life-changing” chocolate cream doughnuts (The Doughnut Fix). Their doughnut shop is in an old train station where they share space with The Station House, Tris’ mom’s restaurant. And for a couple of 7th graders, they have an amazing business. People LOVE their doughnuts. But not everyone is thrilled with The Doughnut Stop. Folks who drive a long way and find the shop closed (The boys still have to go to school!) or the doughnuts sold out aren’t very happy. Tris is desperate to come up with a way to make more doughnuts faster so he can keep his customers happy.

While Tris is struggling to keep up with doughnut demand, the town of Petersville is struggling, too. More people are moving away than are moving in. The school is so small I could be closed. And Petersville is losing its post office. How will The Doughnut Stop – or The Station House and Tris’ family – survive if the town can’t bring in more people?

When Tris discovers a machine that could help him with his doughnut issues, he knows it could save the day for both The Doughnut Stop AND Petersville. Now he just needs to find $50,000 to buy one. And a reality cooking show could be his solution.

Review

Excellent! I loved this even more than I did The Doughnut Fix! All of my favorite characters are back – Tris and Josh and Tris’ family. There are lots of laugh-out-loud moments I just had to read aloud to my family. And the heart of the story was everything I love about middle grade fiction.

At its core, this is a cooking book. It’s the struggles of a food-based business. It’s a cooking reality show. And it’s the struggle for food businesses in a dwindling community. But it’s also richer than “just” those things. Tristan is a business person now. He feels that pressure and responsibility. He’s maturing. He’s also all the more aware of the things his parents are trying to shield him from. And I loved watching that dynamic unfold.

The reality show was almost a second story in the book once we established the business and town struggles. The show introduced a new cast of characters with the show runners and the other contestants. Honestly, I expected Tris to be nervous but to shine. He’d be this beacon of purity as his love of cooking overcame some of the pettiness and reality show stuff. And there were moments of that. But there were other moments of REAL turmoil. Tris wrestles with his identity – “shark” or “krill?” He wrestles with the competition aspects. And while not “perfect” in his choices, he still shines!

I highly recommend this delightful series! It’s a treat from start to finish. Includes recipes.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Love à la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

REVIEW: Love à la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Henry and Rosie first meet on their Chicago to Paris flight. They are both on their way to the École Denis Laurent, an exclusive cooking school. They are both excited about the opportunity, nervous about wanting to do well, and happy to have met someone who understands their love of cooking.

But things are a little more complicated than they seem at first blush. Henry’s mom wants him to go to a traditional college. She knows how hard it is to run a restaurant. She and Henry’s dad have done it for years. His mom meddles, convincing his academic teachers that he wants to do extra, more advanced work when he really just wants to cook. And if he doesn’t keep his grades up, she says he will have to come home.

Rosie’s true love is baking. But the École is all about cooking – tasks like breaking down a whole chicken and the uniform cutting of vegetables in fussy, precise ways. She’s the only student there who doesn’t have her own knife kit, and she starts to wonder if she even belongs there. If she can’t find a way to shine in the traditional areas of cooking, she may be sent home at Christmas.

The sparks between Henry and Rosie are undeniable, but their personal struggles might pull them apart before they even get a chance to see what they might be together.

Review

This was so sweet! (Pardon the pun.) I loved Henry and Rosie right from the start. They have terrific chemistry. As is often the case in romance stories, they have to learn to communicate if they’re going to have any chance at a future.

I didn’t understand a lot of the fancy cooking terms, but the love each of the kids has for his/her craft was obvious. I loved the scenes when Henry and Rosie – and the other characters – got to just enjoy and savor food together, either around Paris or at school. It was pure joy for them. They were in their element.

While Henry and Rosie are great characters, the ensemble around them is also terrific. The other kids come from a variety of backgrounds. There are the catty girls you would expect, some good friends, and a possible rival for Rosie’s affections.

This is a fun celebration of Paris, food and friendship – as well as friendship that could become something more. I’ve come to expect fun stories with endearing characters from Stephanie Kate Strohm (Prince in Disguise, It’s Not Me It’s You). And her latest book does not disappoint!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Till Death Do Us Tart by Ellie Alexander

REVIEW: Till Death Do Us Tart by Ellie Alexander

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

It’s wedding time in Ashland, Oregon. When Juliet’s mom and the Professor were struggling to find a venue for the wedding, Juliet and the crew at Torte and most of the town decided to throw a surprise wedding at Uva, the vineyard in which Juliet and her estranged husband, Carlos, had invested.

Speaking of Carlos, he’s coming to town for the wedding and bringing his son, Ramiro, along. Carlos’ secrets about the boy were what caused the rift in his marriage to Juliet. Meeting Ramiro will be the first step in trying to repair their relationship.

And if a secret wedding and a new step-son weren’t enough for Juliet to juggle, she is also right in the middle of renovations at her bake shop, Torte. Juliet has her hands full.

Then her friend Lance drops his bombshell. He thinks his brother might be plotting to kill their father to finagle getting all of his money. Lance wants Juliet to help him keep an eye on his brother and his cronies. When Lance’s father dies, their investigation becomes a hunt for a killer.

Review

Book eight in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. As a mystery, this was a bit disappointing for me. I felt like the mystery was only maybe a third of the book. There was a lot of time devoted to the other things going on in Ashland and between the various characters. Thankfully, I really enjoyed those other story elements so this was still an enjoyable read for me.

I love Juliet and the crew at Torte. The relationships, interplay, and growth of the store are part of what I love about this series. The food descriptions always leave me hungry. I’d love to visit a shop like Torte.

If I was looking for an intricate murder mystery to dig into, this would have fallen flat for me. The first part was mostly supposition and theories. The second part was when the traditional mystery really kicked in and that was about halfway through the book. The fact that I care about the characters and the relationships in this series redeemed the reading experience for me. But someone with less connection to the characters might be disappointed with this one. I love when an author does a great job of balancing character development with a strong, central mystery. This did not fit that description for me.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: A Crime of Passion Fruit by Ellie Alexander

REVIEW: A Crime of Passion Fruit by Ellie Alexander

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The cruise ship Amour of the Seas is in desperate need of a temporary pastry chef to get them through until their new hire can arrive. Carlos, back on the ship after his time in Ashland, asks Juliet to step in. The cruise offers her double pay, and Carlos arranges for her mom and the Professor to join the cruise for free. Four glorious days at sea. What could go wrong?

Being back on the ship helps Juliet gain new insights into her marriage, her cooking and her dreams for the future. It also puts her in place to discover a dead body. Even through she’s been away for awhile, Juliet’s knowledge of the ship and crew could help the captain and the Professor figure out who the dead woman is and what happened to her. While Juliet is hunting for a murderer and trying to survive a storm at sea, her friends in Ashland are trying to keep things going at Torte in the midst of a quarrelsome neighbor, a shake up with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival leadership, and major renovations at Torte. There’s never a dull moment in the latest addition to the Bakeshop mystery series.

Review

I really enjoyed this new addition to one of my favorite cozy series. While I missed the usual Torte crew, I liked the change of setting for this book. It added to the ongoing story line of Juliet and Carlos while also shaking up the food, the characters, and the location of the action. And it was all great.

I thoroughly enjoy the core characters of this series. There’s great camaraderie at Torte. And a great balance between the ongoing relationships in Ashland and the new details in each book for the mystery at hand. Good mystery in this one. With an unknown victim (“Jane Dough”), the motive and suspect portions didn’t evolve until later in the book once we knew more about the victim.

Personally, I am “Team Tommy,” and ready for Juliet and Carlos to sort out their relationship. I am looking forward to Another One Bites the Crust (winter 2017/2018) to see what happens next with the Ashland crew and see if the author will finally resolve the Carlos situation.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥