Relish: My Life in the Kitchen | by Lucy Knisley

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley
(First Second, 2013, 176 pages)

I love graphic novels and I love food, so Relish was a win for me This graphic memoir recounts Knisley’s life growing up around food. Her mother is a chef/caterer and her dad is a food-lover who knows how to appreciate the finer things. Knisley grew up in New York City and then moved to upstate New York with her mother after her parents divorced. Exposed to foods at a young age that most people are scared to try even as adults, Knisley definitely had a unique upbringing. This memoir is broken down into key moments of her life and how they correlated with food. Graphic recipes are also included, which I loved.

This book was successful in that it made me want to be friends with the author, it made me want to cook, and it made me curious to try some of the new things she mentioned. If you like food and/or graphic novels, you’ll appreciate Knisley’s story and her artistry.

Gypped | by Carol Higgins Clark

Gypped by Carol Higgins Clark
(Scribner, 2012, 224 pages)

Gypped is the fifteenth novel in the Regan Reilly Mystery series by Carol Higgins Clark. In this novel, Regan Reilly and her husband, Jack, take a trip from their home in New York to Jack’s conference in California. While in California, Regan runs into Zelda, an acquaintance from seven years earlier when the two of them appeared on a game show together. Neither Regan nor Zelda won the big prize on the game show, but Zelda has since struck it rich when her neighbor died and left her eight million dollars. When Regan and Zelda sit down to chat about their lives, Zelda quickly becomes ill. Is it food poisoning or is someone out to get Zelda and her money?

Gypped is a quick, short, read-in-one-sitting novel. The plot’s not new, but the dialogue is witty and the characters are fun. This is a good book to read in a waiting room or on vacation. I recommend it for anyone looking for some light reading.

Harry Potter Series: Books 1 – 3 | by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
(Scholastic, 1999, 320 pages)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
(Scholastic, 2000, 341 pages)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
(Scholastic, 2001, 435 pages)

I decided to reread all the Harry Potter books this summer and I have sped through the first three in record time.  It really is amazing what J.K. Rowling accomplished with these books; the plot is so tight, when you reread them you can see how thought out the story was from the very beginning.  I’m catching things I didn’t the first time around and things I forgot about because they weren’t included in the movies.  It’s been lot of fun so far!

You can check out Julia and Sadie‘s reviews of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

You can also see Julia’s reviews of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Wedding Night | by Sophie Kinsella

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
(Bantam Press, 2013, 368 pages)

This is the most recent novel for Sophie Kinsella, the author of the Shopaholic series. While I didn’t find that series engaging I thought I’d give Wedding Night a try. It was the perfect read for traveling! The story essentially revolves around two sisters, Lottie and Fliss. Lottie is SURE that her boyfriend is going to propose to her, so when this doesn’t turn out to be the case Lottie impulsively breaks up with him and he sets off for a new job in America. Then Ben, an old flame, reconnects with her, reminding her of the vow they took that if they weren’t both married by 30 they would marry each other. Lottie has a tendency to make rash decisions following a break-up, so when Ben quickly proposes she accepts. They decide to get married ASAP, making the decision to wait for their wedding night to consummate their relationship.

When Fliss, Lottie’s older sister, learns about all this she doesn’t know what to do with herself. In the midst of a bitter divorce she doesn’t want to see Lottie in the same situation. With that in mind Fliss makes it her mission to keep Lottie and Ben from “enjoying” their wedding night in the hopes that they can annul the marriage when Lottie finally comes to her senses. Tied up in this scheme is Ben’s friend, Lorcan. He was with Fliss in trying to keep Lottie and Ben from getting married in the first place, but his priorities are the business he shares with Ben and wanting to make sure nothing happens to compromise it. Not surprisingly, a romantic element comes into play between Lorcan and Fliss.

This was a quick, enjoyable read. Very light-hearted and a good distraction.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower | by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
(MTV Books, 2012, 224 pages)

This was the final book of the Spring 2013 semester for SCC’s “Between the Covers” book club and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It’s a quick read; I was able to get through it in two days and I really enjoyed it. Told through a series of letters written by the main character, Charlie, we are taken back to the early 90s as Charlie begins his high school experience. He’s a quiet individual, more prone to sitting back and observing than actively participating. But he starts coming out little by little as he makes new friends at school, primarily Sam and Patrick who love and appreciate him for being exactly who he is.

The reader isn’t sure who Charlie is writing his letters to which leads to some interesting speculation. While I was reading I certainly found myself relating to certain high school experiences and feelings that Charlie was going through. Chbosky did a great job developing Charlie’s voice and leading the reader through this story. I’m glad The Perks of Being a Wallflower was part of our book club so I had to pick it up and see why so many people love it. I am curious to see the movie now… and I can’t wait to hear what other people think about the book tomorrow when we meet to discuss it at our “Between the Covers” meeting!

And don’t forget to check out Sadie’s review of this title

Between | by Kerry Schafer

Between by Kerry Schafer
(Ace, 2013, 304 pages)

Vivian has always had strange dreams and has been mostly successful in ignoring them. But after a teenager came into her ER talking about dragons before burning from the inside out, she starts to question things. With the help of a new friend she has been destined to meet, Zee helps Vivian discover who she is and what fate has in store for her. A whole new world, or worlds, is opened up to Vivian and the only way to survive is to bring down a powerful sorceress. Oh, and to watch out for those dragons.

I will admit that Urban Fantasy is not a genre I gravitate towards but this was a fun read. Things move fast and since there are three worlds that Vivian can go between, the Wakeworld, Dreamworld, and the Between, you really have to pay attention to where she is. But as fast and as strange as things happen, I never found the read confusing or felt overwhelmed with what was happening to Vivian. My favorite part of this read was Vivian’s sidekick Poe, who happens to be a penguin. At first he seemed a little out of place, but he added a sweetness to an otherwise intense read.

Me Before You | by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
(Viking, 2012, 369 pages)

I picked this up on a whim and I can’t get over how much I loved it. Me Before You has a unique story – set in England, Lou (short for Louisa) has recently lost her job. She eventually finds work as a sort of “companion” for Will. Will lives in a world completely different from the one Lou grew up in. He is clearly upper class and was used to living a full, rich and adventurous life as a powerful businessman. Now, however, Will is confined to a wheelchair – a quadriplegic. He’s had an incredibly hard time adjusting to his new “life” and Lou makes it her mission to help show him that his life doesn’t have to end because of his medical condition.

Lou and Will start off on the wrong foot, primarily because Will is already resentful of her presence before she even starts working. Gradually they warm to one another and as a friendship blossoms one can’t help but detect there is something else there as well. Lou has a boyfriend but he’s pretty focused on his own life and goals, marriage isn’t anywhere near the forefront of his mind. Will more or less becomes ingrained in Lou’s life and vice versa. She can’t imagine what her life would be without him, but it turns out this fear might become an all too startling reality when Lou learns that Will already has plans for how he wants his life to go…

This book had me hooked pretty quickly. Moyes’s character development and writing style draw you in almost immediately. There were numerous times while I was reading that I laughed out loud and then there were other times where I literally couldn’t stop myself from crying. This was a great read. A pleasant surprise to stumble across when browsing the book shelves. I should have known I’d like it based on Sadie’s review

Delirium | by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
(HarperCollins, 2011, 448 pages)

I can’t get over how quickly I got into Delirium. It’s the first book in the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver and I’m really curious to see where Book 2 goes. Set in the future, the world that Lena, the main character, lives in is a dystopia. The government has complete control and governs the people by administering the “cure” to them on or around their 18th birthday. The “cure” combats deliria, a “scientific” way of classifying love. The sexes are separated from one another while they grow up, matched with a future spouse shortly before their “cure” and then live the rest of their lives as passionless beings sort of marching quietly toward death. Lena is very content in this world and she is more or less ready for the “cure” to be administered. It never worked on her mom who succumbed to deliria when Lena was young, taking her own life.

Lena counts down the days until the “cure” and it is when she goes in for her evaluation that she comes face to face with Alex. They eventually get to know one another and Lena fears she’ll contract deliria. But she knows she has never been as happy in her life as she is know that she has Alex in it. Not only has he introduced her to a new side of herself, he’s shown her that there’s more out there in the world. That there is more to life than living in a dazed fog with no love or compassion to speak of… So will she stay on the path set out for her, or will she give in to the “disease” of love?

I really enjoyed Delirium. Thankfully my husband was watching The Masters this past weekend so I got a lot of reading time in I’m definitely going to follow up with the series.

Alex Cross, Run | by James Patterson

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson
(Little, Brown and Co., 2013, 407 pages)

Overview:

Detective Alex Cross arrests renowned plastic surgeon Elijah Creem for sleeping with teenage girls. Now, his life ruined, Creem is out of jail, and he’s made sure that no one will recognize him—by giving himself a new face.

A young woman is found hanging from a sixth-floor window, and Alex is called to the scene. The victim recently gave birth, but the baby is nowhere to be found. Before Alex can begin searching for the missing newborn and killer, he’s called to investigate a second crime. All of Washington, D.C. is in a panic, and when a third body is discovered, rumors of three serial killers send the city into an all-out frenzy.

Alex’s investigations are going nowhere, and he’s too focused on the cases to notice that someone has been watching him—and will stop at nothing until he’s dead. With white-hot speed, relentless drama, and hairpin turns, Alex Cross, Run is James Patterson’s ultimate thrill ride.

Yay! James is back Now this is the James Patterson that I’m used to reading!!!!  This is one of the best in the Alex Cross series that I’ve read thus far! A quick read, intriguing, suspenseful, full of twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat just anticipating what was going to happen next. Lives are lost, people Alex loves are in serious danger, and everyone is afraid that they’re going to be next on the sniper’s list. This is another great and addicting tale of murder and mayhem–Alex Cross style! I was hard pressed to put it down!

The past couple of books that I’ve read by James had been somewhat disappointing and not quite up to par.  But this one re-sparked the fire that I’m used to reading by him. He did not disappoint with this one. This is one of his best.  Maybe because he didn’t have a co-writer on this one?? I’m just saying. Whatever it was, keep it up Mr. Patterson. Job well done. Welcome back to the fold

 

Highland Fling | by Katie Fforde

Highland Fling by Katie Fforde
(Arrow Books, 2003, 384 pages)

Katie Fforde is an author I found in my quest for British chick-lit novels, and I have found her novels highly entertaining and fun to read. Highland Fling opens with Jenny Porter, a “virtual assistant” arguing with her boyfriend, Henry, about why she has to go to Scotland to inspect a company for a boss she has never met. Jenny goes anyway and finds more than she bargains for by staying at Dalmain House, home of the company owners. While in Scotland, she meets a mysterious fellow named Ross Grant, and also finds that she is trying to save the company her boss may want to close, as well as becoming part-time cook at Dalmain House. In the meantime, Henry shows up and there is still that Ross Grant hanging around…. Readers will enjoy the banter of the characters and the situations Jenny gets herself into. Overall a quick, light-hearted, chick-lit read that was enjoyable.