Julie's Review: Off the Menu

Summary: As the executive culinary assistant to celebrity Chicago chef Patrick Conlon, Alana Ostermann works behind the scenes—and that’s just the way she likes it. But with developing recipes for Patrick’s cookbooks, training his sous chefs, picking out the perfect birthday gifts for his ex-mother-in-law, and dealing with the fallout from his romantic escapades, she barely has a personal life, much less time to spend with her combo platter of a mutt, Dumpling. Then a fluke online connection brings her RJ, a transplant from Tennessee, who adds some Southern spice to her life. Suddenly Alana’s priorities shift, and Patrick—and Dumpling—find themselves facing a rival for her time and affection. With RJ in the mix, and some serious decisions to make about her personal and professional future, Alana must discover the perfect balance of work and play, money and meaning, to bring it all to the table—one delicious dish at a time…~amazon.com

Review:  Don't read this book when you are even the slightest bit hungry. Ok, even if you aren't hungry you will be while reading this novel. Seriously when I read food lit, it makes me salivate. Off the Menu is a cute book about being comfortable with yourself and where you are in your life, knowing that the rest will come when the time is right.

Alana Ostermann is a executive culinary assistant to one of the most popular restaurateurs and celebrity chefs around, Patrick Colon. It pretty much means she's at his beck and call, his "Girl Tuesday". She's made a comfortable life of her own and enjoys her job, her friends and her family. Of course when you aren't looking for it, you fall in love. This is what happens with Alana when she meets the sweet and charming, RJ.

What Ms. Ballis does wonderfully is that Alana doesn't change who she is. It's either take her or leave her. She's turning 40 and wants a partner that she can accept/love and who does the same of her. RJ full-fills this for her. One thing that I wanted a little more of was tension or an obstacle for them to overcome. Everything just went so smoothly for them. I'm not saying a plot device but relationships have bumps, so maybe a more realistic view. All RJ and Alana had was a brief hiccup. At times it was a bit too saccharine for my taste but I dealt with it.

I loved Alana's crazy big family, her friends and Patrick. I can only imagine how demanding it is to be an assistant to one of those tv chefs. Patrick for all of his faults, there are many, does have a heart of gold.

I have Good Enough to Eat on my shelves and I look forward to reading it since the character from that is in Off the Menu. For those who love food-lit, this one will make you want to become a die-hard foodie.

Final Take: 3.75/5



 Google+

Julie's Review: Catching Fire

Summary: Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. ~powells.com

Review: When I read The Hunger Games earlier this year, I wasn't so impressed but I loved the movie. I wasn't sure what to expect with Catching Fire. Needless to say, I loved it. I loved the plot, the pacing and the character development.

Katniss seems more like a teenage girl in this novel. She's confused, weary and torn between being loyal and being a leader. She had no idea how pretending to be in love with Peeta and saving both of their lives would be seen as an act of rebellion by the Capitol. It also gave the Districts  the fire they need to form rebellions.

I loved how Cinna had a bigger role in this novel. How he centered Katniss. He was her rock in a lot of ways; her father figure.Katniss and Peeta's relationship gets even more complicated as they try to figure out how to survive the Quell. Katniss is unsure of her feelings for both Peeta and Gale. She obviously cares deeply for both but I'm not sure she's in love with either of them.

I thoroughly enjoyed how they teamed up with other victors during the Quell even if it doesn't quite end up like they expected. It was nice to see Katniss learn to work in a team instead of always relying on herself. I even grew to like Peeta more. He wasn't such a wimp in this book, in fact, I can see the shaping of a leader in him.

I know I'm late to the Hunger Games party but it's always good to be fashionable. I am definitely looking forward to the movie in the fall.

Final Take: 4.75/5

Alice's Review

Google+

Julie's Review: Wedding Night

Summary: Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose during lunch at one of London’s fanciest restaurants. But when his big question involves a trip abroad, not a trip down the aisle, she’s completely crushed. So when Ben, an old flame, calls her out of the blue and reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. No formal dates—just a quick march to the altar and a honeymoon on Ikonos, the sun-drenched Greek island where they first met years ago.  Their family and friends are horrified. Fliss, Lottie’s older sister, knows that Lottie can be impulsive—but surely this is her worst decision yet. And Ben’s colleague Lorcan fears that this hasty marriage will ruin his friend’s career. To keep Lottie and Ben from making a terrible mistake, Fliss concocts an elaborate scheme to sabotage their wedding night. As she and Lorcan jet off to Ikonos in pursuit, Lottie and Ben are in for a honeymoon to remember, for better . . . or worse. ~powells.com

Review: For this reader, I can almost never go wrong with a Sophie Kinsella novel. I've loved her since the first Shopaholic book came out. She makes me laugh and shake my head at the characters she writes.

In Wedding Night we are introduced to dreamy and romantic Lottie, who is sure her boyfriend of 3 years is about to propose to her. I think you know it doesn't go as planned. This launches her into a spiral of emotions and irrational behavior. Luckily for us the reader, we can get a few good laughs because of her antics.

Enter Fliss, Lottie's older sister and a bit bitter due to her impending divorce from a scoundrel of a husband. She's trying to balance work and a young son plus now she's got to manage Lottie. It's not easy and you can tell that she needs a release. Enter Lorcan.
As in all of Ms. Kinsella's novels hilarity ensues. I couldn't help but seriously laugh at some of the things that happen to Ben and Lottie. It would be enough to make anyone a little mad and a bit crazy.

What I loved about this novel was the sister aspect of it. How different Fliss and Lottie were but how they truly cared and loved each other. As an older sister I related to Fliss but admired Lottie's spontaneous personality.

If you've never read Ms. Kinsella's books( why?!), Wedding Night wouldn't be a bad place to start. Although I recommend having a chunk of time so you can read it cover to cover.

Final Take: 4.25/5


 

Julie's Review: Losing Clementine

Summary:  In thirty days Clementine Pritchard will be finished with her last painting and her life. World-renowned artist and sharp-tongued wit Clementine Pritchard has decided that she's done. After flushing away a medicine cabinet full of prescriptions, she gives herself thirty days to tie up loose ends—finish one last painting, make nice with her ex-husband, and find a home for her cat. Clementine plans to spend the month she has left in a swirl of art-world parties, manic work sessions, and outrageous acts—but what she doesn't expect is to uncover secrets surrounding the tragedy that befell her mother and sister. In an ending no one sees coming, will we lose Clementine or will we find her? A bold debut from an exciting new voice, Losing Clementine is a wonderfully entertaining and poignant novel about unanticipated self-discovery that features one of the most irresistible, if deeply flawed, characters to grace contemporary fiction in years. ~amazon.com

Review:  Losing Clementine is an unique novel. It is not comparable to any book I've read. It is fresh, it is honest. It makes you look at someone who is suffering from mental illness in a new light. It also shows the long lasting effects of having a history of mental illness in a family.

Clementine is an interesting character. She is definitely not without faults but within those faults is a deep honesty to herself. She's not so honest with the people in her life. She lies to them about what is going to happen and what it is exactly she's preparing for. As we follow her through the last 30 days of her life, her life is pieced together as a canvas that she herself might paint.

She works through and I'd say resolves most of her issues in her life, including tracking down her father and beating the crap out of him towards the end. As you read through the novel, you keep wondering "will she, won't she?". I liked that we were kept in the loop on her decision making and how we got a view into her head. I won't say I agree with her but I can understand why she felt there was only one option.

Ms. Ream has written a distinct debut novel. She had a true understanding of Clementine and her mental illness. She wrote with passion and compassion for her character. I also liked how each chapter was a countdown in her 30 day quest.
As usual, Alice has picked a novel for me that I might not have otherwise have picked up and I thank her for that.

Losing Clementine is a novel really not to be missed for it's unique perspective. I look forward to reading whatever else Ms. Ream writes.

Final Take: 4.25/5

Alice's Review

Julie's List: What's in a Name Challenge 6

Here I go again! I'm excited to be doing What's in a Name Challenge again. I love the challenge of figuring out the books that fit into each category and this year was no exception.

Here's How It Works

Between January 1 and December 31, 2013, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with up or down (or equivalent) in the title: Deep down True, The Girl Below, The Diva Digs up the Dirt
2. A book with something you'd find in your kitchen in the title: Loose Lips Sink Ships, The Knife of Never Letting Go, Breadcrumbs
3. A book with a party or celebration in the title: A Feast for Crows, A Wedding in Haiti, Cocktail Hour under the Tree of Forgetfulness
4. A book with fire (or equivalent) in the title: Burning for Revenge, Fireworks over Toccoa, Catching Fire
5. A book with an emotion in the title: Baltimore Blues, Say You're Sorry, Dreams of Joy
6. A book with lost or found (or equivalent) in the title: The Book of Lost Fragrances, The World We Found, A Discovery of Witches

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know

• Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
• Books may overlap other challenges.
• Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
• Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
• You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
• You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

Here is the list I am aiming for this year:

Up or down (or equivalent) in the title: Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck
Something you'd find in your kitchen: Off the Menu by Stacy Ballis
Party or Celebration in the Title: Wedding Night: A Novel by Sophia Kinsella
Fire (or equivalent) in the title: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Emotion in the title: Misery Bay by Steve Hamilton
Lost or found (or equivalent) in the title: Losing Clementine by Ashley Ream

Can't wait to get started!

 

Julie's Wrap-Up Post: What's in a Name Challenge 5

YAY! I finished another challenge for 2012. Thank goodness she's a little flexible since one of my books I started in 2012 and just finished.  I'm thrilled I finished this challenge again, even if it did spill a little into 2013. Thanks to BethFishReads for hosting again in 2012. Here were the books that I read:

Topographical Feature: The Forgetting Tree by Tatjana Soli Reviewed on 1/7/2013

Something You'd See in the Sky: The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard Reviewed on 3/14/2012

Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs Reviewed on 5/12/2012

Type of House: The Bungalow by Sarah Jio Reviewed on 1/9/2012

Something You'd Carry In Your Purse, Pocket or Backpack: Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs Reviewed on 7/21/2012

Something You'd on a Calendar: Think of a Number by John Vernon Reviewed on 1/20/2012

Look for my What's in a Name Challenge 6 list in the next couple days.

Julie's Review: The Forgetting Tree

Summary: From Tatjana Soli, The New York Times bestselling author of The Lotus Eaters, comes a breathtaking novel of a California ranching family, its complicated matriarch, and the enigmatic caretaker who may destroy them. When Claire Nagy marries Forster Baumsarg, the only son of prominent California citrus ranchers, she knows she’s consenting to a life of hard work, long days, and worry-fraught nights. But her love for Forster is so strong, she turns away from her literary education and embraces the life of the ranch, succumbing to its intoxicating rhythms and bounty until her love of the land becomes a part of her. Not even the tragic, senseless death of her son Joshua at kidnappers’ hands, her alienation from her two daughters, or the dissolution of her once-devoted marriage can pull her from the ranch she’s devoted her life to preserving. But despite having survived the most terrible of tragedies, Claire is about to face her greatest struggle: an illness that threatens not only to rip her from her land but take her very life. And she's chosen a caregiver, the inscrutable, Caribbean-born Minna, who may just be the darkest force of all. Haunting, tough, triumphant, and profound, The Forgetting Tree explores the intimate ties we have to one another, the deepest fears we keep to ourselves, and the calling of the land that ties every one of us together. ~amazon.com  

Review:  For some reason this book has been sitting in my TBR pile since late summer and I wasn't sure why. Obviously the description caught my attention when I initially read it. For the most part, I enjoyed the story but in the end I felt that it could have been wrapped up sooner. I appreciated getting Minna's back story but I didn't feel it was essential to the overall plot. I felt I knew enough about her to enjoy the mystery that Ms. Soli had made her out to be.

The Forgetting Tree is a novel that is about love, death, sickness, health, redemption and family. There is also a lot of mysticism/voodoo thrown in during the 2nd part of the novel. This is the part that I found fascinating. How Minna weaved her story to fit the life she wanted and also how she could read Claire to determine the kind of person she needed to be.

Claire wasn't the most likable character. When her son died tragically, she retreated into herself and pushed her family away. This ended in the divorce of her marriage and her daughters moving away. What I didn't like about Claire is that she relies on Minna so heavily that she doesn't even see what is going on in front of her. She only sees what she wants and starts to alienate herself from those left in her life. Like most people, Claire was complex. She wanted to recede into her fictional novels and live a fictional life. With the stories that Minna wove, she got that to some degree for the time that they lived together.

Ms. Soli holds no punches about the affects of chemotherapy and radiation on a cancer patient. We get to see Claire through the worst of it and get to see her come through in the end. Minna definitely had cast some kind of voodoo on Claire to get her to agree to some of the things she did.

While I wouldn't say I loved The Forgetting Tree, I did find the characters to be real and vivid. I also fell in love with the orchard and the land. I truly believe it takes someone special to work the land. Claire had a love of the land even though she wasn't raised on it.

I still have Ms. Soli's The Lotus Eaters to read. I'm hoping to get to it in 2013.

Final Take: 3.5/5

Julie's Review: Comfort Food

Summary: In this smart, delicious novel by the bestselling author of The Friday Night Knitting Club, a celebrity chef shows her friends and family the joy of fulfillment— and manages to spice up her own life at the same time. Shortly before turning the big 5-0, boisterous party planner and Cooking with Gusto! personality Augusta “Gus” Simpson finds herself planning a birthday party she’d rather not—her own. She’s getting tired of being the hostess, the mother hen, the woman who has to plan her own birthday party. What she needs is time on her own with enough distance to give her loved ones the ingredients to put together successful lives without her. Assisted by a handsome up-and-coming chef, Oliver, Gus invites a select group to take an on-air cooking class. But instead of just preaching to the foodie masses, she will teach regular people how to make rich, sensuous meals—real people making real food. Gus decides to bring a vibrant cast of friends and family on the program: Sabrina, her fickle daughter; Troy, Sabrina’s ex-husband; Anna, Gus’s timid neighbor; and Carmen, Gus’s pompous and beautiful competitor at the Cooking Channel. And when she begins to have more than collegial feelings for her sous-chef, Gus realizes that she might be able to rejuvenate not just her professional life, but her personal life as well. ~amazon.com

Review: I've enjoyed Ms. Jacob's Friday Night Knitting Club Novels, so I figured that I would enjoy Comfort Food as well and I did  but I definitely prefer the ladies of the knitting club to the characters in this one. It's not that I didn't like the women and men in the book but in the end I just didn't connect with any of them on a real level. I liked Gus and her family. I couldn't stand Carmen, even in the end. I don't think she really learned much from her experience. She also ended up getting what she wanted even if she didn't really deserve it in the end. I was actually hoping she would have returned home to Spain.

I loved Gus' extended family. Her daughters Aimee and Sabrina were still looking to find their niche in the world. Her best friend Hannah has her own secret and has been hiding from the world for 15 years. Then there is Troy, Sabrina's ex-boyfriend, who still very much wants to be her boyfriend. He's also an entrepreneur of which Gus has invested in his company.

As much at the book is about food, food isn't a major character in the book. Don't get me wrong, some of the recipes sound divine but it's stuff that I would never try to make myself. Gus' life revolves around food. She's always loved to cook but she never planned on it being her career.

This was a good book for reading quickly and to just enjoy for fun. There are some themes throughout the book which isn't surprising with a novel that focuses on family.

If you haven't read Kate Jacobs before, then I recommend the Friday Night Knitting Club Novels over Comfort Food.

Final Take: 3.5/5

Also, check out Jenn's review.


 

Julie's Review: Spider Bones

Summary: John Lowery was declared dead in 1968—the victim of a Huey crash in Vietnam, his body buried long ago in North Carolina. Four decades later, Temperance Brennan is called to the scene of a drowning in Hemmingford, Quebec. The victim appears to have died while in the midst of a bizarre sexual practice. The corpse is later identified as John Lowery. But how could Lowery have died twice, and how did an American soldier end up in Canada? Tempe sets off for the answer, exhuming Lowery’s grave in North Carolina and taking the remains to Hawaii for reanalysis—to the headquarters of JPAC, the U.S. military’s Joint POW/ MIA Accounting Command, which strives to recover Americans who have died in past conflicts. In Hawaii, Tempe is joined by her colleague and ex-lover Detective Andrew Ryan (how “ex” is he?) and by her daughter, who is recovering from her own tragic loss. Soon another set of remains is located, with Lowery’s dog tags tangled among them. Three bodies—all identified as Lowery. And then Tempe is contacted by Hadley Perry, Honolulu’s flamboyant medical examiner, who needs help identifying the remains of an adolescent boy found offshore. Was he the victim of a shark attack? Or something much more sinister? ~amazon.com

Review: I always order the new Kathy Reichs' novel when it comes out but then I end up getting behind again. So, I was thrilled when Spider Bones into the What's in a Name Challenge for 2012. I'm always sorry that I stay away from the books as soon as I pick one up. I love Tempe. I love how candid she is. She's not perfect, she's got her troubles but she's brilliant at her work.

Spider Bones is definitely jargon heavy, so if you don't like your "alphabet" when it comes to reading, then it's probably not going to be a pleasant read for you. I get so that I understand enough to keep track of what's going on but I don't feel the big need to keep a log of what it mean. Ms. Reichs does come back enough to it so you don't get lost.

While I didn't find this case itself as interesting as some others; what I found compelling was what our government does to try to find KIA/POW/MIAs from various wars. How even today we are still searching for men/women who served in World War I. What stunned me was how big these recovery teams are and how many people they do identify in a year!

Tempe travels from Montreal to North Carolina to Hawaii for the case. Her daughter Katy has received devastating news right before Tempe has to leave, so she encourages her to join her on the Hawaii leg of the trip. Eventually, Ryan and his daughter Lily join them as well since Ryan is assigned to the initial case out of Montreal.

What starts as a simple case of mistaken identity, escalates into something that spans decades, continents and years of scientific research. As with all of her books, Tempe gets herself into a situation which ends up with her life being in danger some how. I'm guessing this isn't really true to life in the realm of being a forensic anthropologist.

Things at the end of the novel still aren't resolved between her and Ryan. I can understand her trepidation about taking another chance on Ryan when she feels like he needs to focus on other things but I hope that it doesn't drag out for another 5 books.

I definitely have to catch up on her next novel Flash and Bones before yet another one comes out in August.

Final Take: 3.75/5

Jenn's Review

 

Julie's Review: The Scent of Rain and Lightning

Summary: One beautiful summer afternoon, Jody Linder receives shocking news: The man convicted of murdering her father is being released from prison and returning to the small town of Rose, Kansas. It has been twenty-three years since that stormy night when her father was shot and killed and her mother disappeared, presumed dead. Neither the protective embrace of Jody’s three uncles nor the safe haven of her grandparents’ ranch could erase the pain caused by Billy Crosby on that catastrophic night. Now Billy Crosby is free, thanks to the efforts of his son, Collin, a lawyer who has spent most of his life trying to prove his father’s innocence. Despite their long history of carefully avoiding each other in such an insular community, Jody and Collin find that they share an exclusive sense of loss. As Jody revisits old wounds, startling truths emerge about her family’s tragic past. But even through struggle and hardship, she still dares to hope for a better future—and maybe even love. ~amazon.com

Review: The Scent of Rain and Lightning sat in the TBR pile since August 2010! Just goes to show that I have too many books that are waiting for my eyes to feast upon them. Nancy Pickard wrote a wonderful book about murder in a small town and how it affects not only those directly involved but the residents of the town as well. We are introduced to Jody Linder as she sees her three uncles pull up to her house and she knows it's not good news because all three of them are dressed in their best. What she doesn't expect is for them to tell her that the man who murdered her parents has had his sentence commuted and he's coming back to Rose.

The novel then takes us back to 23 years prior and the events that set up the murder. Ms. Pickard spends most of the novel setting the stage for the event by letting us get to know each of the players in the story. What Ms. Pickard does well for the reader is to have you fully believe whatever the characters tell you. If Hugh Linder tells you that Billy Crosby killed his son than you believe it beyond a shadow of a doubt. As the novel goes on, things are slowly revealed and you begin to doubt what you've believed the entire time. Imagine being Jody and all she's known is to hate Billy Crosby her entire life. He took away a life she could have lived with her mom and dad.

I can't share much more of what happens without giving away the twists that the novel makes towards the very end. I will say I was totally shocked and didn't see it coming. I'm not even sure if there were clues that I should have picked up on.

I really enjoyed the setting of the novel and all of the characters. From the Linder family to the residents of Rose, they all are an integral part of the story.

I will most definitely be checking out Ms. Pickard's The Virgin of Small Plains.


Final Take: 4.75/5




 

Julie's Review: Think of a Number

Summary: Arriving in the mail one day is a taunting letter that ends with a simple declaration "See how well I know your secrets-just think of a number." Eerily,the letter writer has predicted their random choice exactly. For Dave Gurney, just retired as the NYPD's top homicide investigator and forging a new life with his wife, Madeleine, in upstate New York, the letters are oddities that begin as a diverting puzzle but quickly ignite a massive serial-murder investigation. Brought in as an investigative "consultant," Gurney soon accomplishes deductive breakthroughs that have local police in awe. Yet, with each taunting move by his seemingly clairvoyant opponent, Gurney feels his tragedy-marred past rising up to haunt him, his marriage approaching a dangerous precipice, and, finally, a dark, cold fear building that he's met an adversary who can't be stopped. ~product description

Review: Think of a Number is a taut, well-written thriller that has you enthralled from the beginning pages of the novel. Dave Gurney is an interesting and multi-layered character, who has a way of putting complex crime puzzles together and solving them. He's retired now but he's brought back into this mystery by an old college acquaintance who has been getting strange letters that seem to know what he's thinking. Along with this are poems that are not blatantly threatening but have an underlying menacing tone to them.

Like Dave and Mark Mellery, I was sucked in by the poems, the seemingly randomness of the poems that don't quite say anything but say enough to have the intended victim freaking out wondering what they've done wrong and how this person knows. The perpetrator is playing mind games with their intended victim. Very quickly the mind games become a crime of murder. At the crime scene there are strange clues/evidence that does not make any sense. These are the pieces that confound Gurney. Quickly, things start moving right along and more people are targeted.

The book moves at a quick pace but for this thriller you really do need to read every single word. This is a complex, multi-layered mystery that has you trying to figure it out along with Gurney and the police departments he comes to work with.

By the end of the book, I felt that Gurney should have figured out the perpetrator a lot sooner. Looking back on the novel, I can see the clues that were laid out by Mr. Verdon. I think when I finished the book, I hit my hand to my head and said "DOH"!

I really enjoyed the way Mr. Verdon wrote the book and created Dave Gurney. What amazes me is the amount of knowledge he has about police work and crime scenes, since he's not a retired cop himself.

I will definitely be finding time at some point to read the second Dave Gurney novel, Shut Your Eyes Tight .

Final Take: 4/5

 Here is Jenn's review