Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Book twenty-eight, 29, thirty, 31... Reading on Christmas.

I didn't get my 35 books this year. Wish I could include student work in my list - fo'sho.

I didn't get to White Teeth...or get through it. I should say.

But I did read - teen fiction.

"Shiloh"

"Things Hoped For"

Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth

Then Again, Maybe I Won't

Quick book reviews coming for these books in 2013. I am going to try to finish one more "pleasure" read in the next five days - I will add the book review soon :) 

Merry Christmas! 
 

Sunday, November 11, 2012

My Forced Read: White Teeth

I am such a distant fan of Zadie Smith. I love reading articles that she is in - I love her style and the idea of her. That said, I have  no read one of her pieces of work. It's time that I jump in. For the past few years - possible over five - I have picked up her novel, I put it down. Something in the description doesn't pull me in. But during this book challenge - I also want to challenge myself to read different things. I have not been good at straying from my old faithfuls. But today, I will start. Here goes nothing. Pray for me Saints. I am about to read "White Teeth."

Book Description:  


Zadie Smith’s dazzling debut caught critics grasping for comparisons and deciding on everyone from Charles Dickens to Salman Rushdie to John Irving and Martin Amis. But the truth is that Zadie Smith’s voice is remarkably, fluently, and altogether wonderfully her own.

At the center of this invigorating novel are two unlikely friends, Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal. Hapless veterans of World War II, Archie and Samad and their families become agents of England’s irrevocable transformation. A second marriage to Clara Bowden, a beautiful, albeit tooth-challenged, Jamaican half his age, quite literally gives Archie a second lease on life, and produces Irie, a knowing child whose personality doesn’t quite match her name (Jamaican for “no problem”). Samad’s late-in-life arranged marriage (he had to wait for his bride to be born), produces twin sons whose separate paths confound Iqbal’s every effort to direct them, and a renewed, if selective, submission to his Islamic faith. Set against London’s racial and cultural tapestry, venturing across the former empire and into the past as it barrels toward the future, White Teeth revels in the ecstatic hodgepodge of modern life, flirting with disaster, confounding expectations, and embracing the comedy of daily existence.

Recommended Read: Slave.

I read this in college and cannot forget it.

Book Description:
Mende Nazer lost her childhood at age twelve, when she was sold into slavery. It all began one horrific night in 1993, when Arab raiders swept through her Nuba village, murdering the adults and rounding up thirty-one children, including Mende.

Mende was sold to a wealthy Arab family who lived in Sudan's capital city, Khartoum. So began her dark years of enslavement. Her Arab owners called her "Yebit," or "black slave." She called them "master." She was subjected to appalling physical, sexual, and mental abuse. She slept in a shed and ate the family leftovers like a dog. She had no rights, no freedom, and no life of her own.

Normally, Mende's story never would have come to light. But seven years after she was seized and sold into slavery, she was sent to work for another master—a diplomat working in the United Kingdom. In London, she managed to make contact with other Sudanese, who took pity on her. In September 2000, she made a dramatic break for freedom.

Slave is a story almost beyond belief. It depicts the strength and dignity of the Nuba tribe. It recounts the savage way in which the Nuba and their ancient culture are being destroyed by a secret modern-day trade in slaves. Most of all, it is a remarkable testimony to one young woman's unbreakable spirit and tremendous courage.

Book 27: Sold

Incredible. Absolutely Incredible. This book is broadcast as a teen book - it's already won so many literature awards. I read it in one sitting - it was incredible. I know that I have said "incredible" three - technically four times - but I cannot help it. This book kept me in it's tight grasp the entire time that I read it.  I literally could not put it down. It reminded me slightly of The House on Mango Street. A book that dealt with such strong subjects, but sent through a child's eyes and through a child's perspective. There were moments where I literally held my breath. I didn't know that I was holding my breath until - I felt myself start reading. I literally read it on the subway station while I went from bourough to bourough to visit my girlfriends. All this to say, I couldn't stop reading this book. I found myself in a place where I literally didn't want it to be over. I kept trying to think of ways that I could savor the book, but I couldn't sit for two seconds on the train without needing to open the book and find out what is happening to the ladies, the ordinary boy, the tea boy, and the American.

Book Description

Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though she is desperately poor, her life is full of simple pleasures, like playing hopscotch with her best friend from school, and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family’s crops, Lakshmi’s stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family.

He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi journeys to India and arrives at “Happiness House” full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution. An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty and cunning. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family’s debt—then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave. Lakshmi’s life becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape.

Still, she lives by her mother’s words—Simply to endure is to triumph—and gradually, she forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision—will she risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life? Written in spare and evocative vignettes, this powerful novel renders a world that is as unimaginable as it is real, and a girl who not only survives but triumphs.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Book Twenty-Six: Home Again

Home Again is written by Kristin Hannah - the same writer that wrote Firefly Lane! I loved Firefly Lane. So, this book was good - just too similar to Firefly Lane. My advice - both books are good-  read one or the other.  You will get an incredibly interesting read either way.  So, I don't really feel like writing - so I'm going to keep it at this. I am going to tell my self that I will edit this...eventually. But I probably won't - as much as I love reading. I've realized through this project - I don't love writing about the books that I read. I do however like sharing the books that I've read. I have to figure out a a better way of posting the books with my opinions. I think, I may just say "good" or "bad" - not sure....

Either way, this is a good book. Hope you enjoy!


Reminds me of one of my favorite songs right now by Michael Kiwanuka.... it's a great song for Hurricane reading...


Overview: At the center of Home Again is Madelaine, a brilliant cardiologist, a loving mother, a tender friend, a woman full of self-doubt. It is the story of her daughter, Lina, a confused and angry rebel and of the two very different men Madelaine loves: Francis, a priest searching for his faith, and Angel, a talented, but cynical man. When tragedy brings them together again, they must learn to forgive the betrayals of the past and find the courage to love again. Touching and inspiring, it is also a story of modern-day miracles, medical, and, perhaps, those not of this world.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Twenty-two (23,twenty-four), 25

Tears of A Tiger (teen fiction) - Set in Cincinnati - it's for teens. Definitely heavy - a good read. I read it fast and was intrigued the whole time. Really tough subject matter and at times made me skirm. I definitely would suggest reading it with a teen - it helps address some major life issues: death, racism, guilt, family, and suicide. There is a lot there - no wonder Sharon Draper is an award winning author (and Cincinnati teacher).

When Gerald was a child he was fascinated by fire. But fire is dangerous and powerful, and tragedy strikes. His substance-addicted mother is taken from him. Then he loses the loving generosity of a favorite aunt. A brutal stepfather with a flaming temper and an evil secret makes his life miserable. The one bright light in Gerald's life is his little half sister, Angel, whom he struggles to protect from her father, Jordan Sparks, who abuses her, and from their mother, whose irresponsible behavior forces Gerald to work hard to keep the family together.

As a teenager, Gerald finds success as a member of the Hazelwood Tigers basketball team, while Angel develops her talents as a dancer. Trouble still haunts them, however, and Gerald learns, painfully, that young friends can die and old enemies must be faced. In the end he must stand up to his stepfather alone in a blazing confrontation.

Sharon M. Draper has interwoven characters and events from her previous novel, Tears of a Tiger, in this unflinchingly realistic portrayal of poverty and child abuse. It is an inspiring story of a young man who rises above the tragic circumstances of his life by drawing on the love and strength of family and friends.
The death of high school basketball star Rob Washington in an automobile accident affects the lives of his close friend Andy, who was driving the car, and many others in the school.

I also read (quickly): The two other Sharon Draper books in this series Forged by Fire and Darkness before Dawn... they were both out of this world. Great books - awesome conversation starters and good books to enjoy with a teenager. I am definitely going to have my nephew read this series - they are written on a seventh grade reading level - but the issues are big and are important for everyone to discuss. My students loved all the books in this series - their favorite (as a whole) was Forged by Fire.

A Thousand Splendid Suns- AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING. MUST READ. MUST.READ. But only when you are emotionally ready. It takes you to that place deep down in side. To be honest, I think that I am missing about two books in between this book and Tears of a Tiger, but after reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, I literally cannot remember anything else....incredible.

After 103 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and with four million copies of The Kite Runner shipped, Khaled Hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel that confirms his place as one of the most important literary writers today.

Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.
A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.

Lazy Review: Books 19, twenty, 21

Color Me Beautiful - Incredible. Sad. Heart Wrenching. Definitely "must-read" status - but be ready for tremendous heart break. All in one paragraph - there is tremendous hope and hopelessness.


Summary:
Inspired by a true story, Color Me Butterfly follows four generations of mothers and daughters—haunted by a common specter of domestic abuse—as they discover the strength, hope, and courage to survive.

The last thing Eloise Bingham wanted was to leave the comforts of her South Carolina home and family. But at the end of World War II, the young wife follows her husband, Isaac, to Philadelphia—only to experience his sinister and violent temper. Eloise’s children—and their children and grandchildren—will face their own trials over the next sixty years: Mattie, who has lived in her mother Eloise’s shadow, finds it takes a life-changing tragedy to help her break free; Lydia, Mattie’s strong-willed daughter, summons the resolve to rise above the cycle of abuse; and finally, Treasure, Lydia’s lively daughter, has the chance to be the first to escape her family’s destructive legacy.

It will take unconditional love, old-fashioned family values, faith, and fearless determination—already embedded in each woman’s DNA—to triumph over a life plagued with unspeakable pain.

Yes, Chef - LOVED THIS (nonfiction/memoir) of Chef Marcus Samuelson. Now everytime I go into Macy's I have a bright spot in my heart - I know his hustle and his struggle. There is death, trials, triumphs, and soooooo much culture. It's a realistic look into the world of food. I definitely recommend this book!

Summary:
It begins with a simple ritual: Every Saturday afternoon, a boy who loves to cook walks to his grandmother’s house and helps her prepare a roast chicken for dinner. The grandmother is Swedish, a retired domestic. The boy is Ethiopian and adopted, and he will grow up to become the world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson. This book is his love letter to food and family in all its manifestations.
Marcus Samuelsson was only three years old when he, his mother, and his sister—all battling tuberculosis—walked seventy-five miles to a hospital in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Adaba. Tragically, his mother succumbed to the disease shortly after she arrived, but Marcus and his sister recovered, and one year later they were welcomed into a loving middle-class white family in Göteborg, Sweden. It was there that Marcus’s new grandmother, Helga, sparked in him a lifelong passion for food and cooking with her pan-fried herring, her freshly baked bread, and her signature roast chicken. From a very early age, there was little question what Marcus was going to be when he grew up.

Yes, Chef chronicles Marcus Samuelsson’s remarkable journey from Helga’s humble kitchen to some of the most demanding and cutthroat restaurants in Switzerland and France, from his grueling stints on cruise ships to his arrival in New York City, where his outsize talent and ambition finally come together at Aquavit, earning him a coveted New York Times three-star rating at the age of twenty-four. But Samuelsson’s career of “chasing flavors,” as he calls it, had only just begun—in the intervening years, there have been White House state dinners, career crises, reality show triumphs and, most important, the opening of the beloved Red Rooster in Harlem. At Red Rooster, Samuelsson has fufilled his dream of creating a truly diverse, multiracial dining room—a place where presidents and prime ministers rub elbows with jazz musicians, aspiring artists, bus drivers, and nurses. It is a place where an orphan from Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, living in America, can feel at home.

With disarming honesty and intimacy, Samuelsson also opens up about his failures—the price of ambition, in human terms—and recounts his emotional journey, as a grown man, to meet the father he never knew. Yes, Chef is a tale of personal discovery, unshakable determination, and the passionate, playful pursuit of flavors—one man’s struggle to find a place for himself in the kitchen, and in the world.

The Shape of Mercy - Not a must read. Intersting and entertaining, but very frustrating. I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters in this book. Although one character was nice - the other ones just didn't quite touch me - heck, they did nothing for me.

Summary:
Leaving a life of privilege to strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch trials.

Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.

The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

CSBL - Books 19, twenty, 21, twenty-two, 23

CSBL - Coming Soon Book List...

Here are the books that are on my "MUST READ" list.

My mom recommended Color Me Butterfly and A Thousand Splendid Suns (a highly recommended book that I've been putting off)...

Look forward to their reviews. 

Pray for me Saints. 


P.S Thank you so much for all the book recommendations - keep them coming!

Not on track...


AAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH....I should be on book 20... according to my calculations. Yikes.

Books 17 and Eighteen

17. Broken: When Special Agent Will Trent arrives in Grant County, he finds a police department determined to protect its own and far too many unanswered questions about a prisoner’s death. He doesn’t understand why Officer Lena Adams is hiding secrets from him. He doesn’t understand her role in the death of Grant County’s popular police chief. He doesn’t understand why that man’s widow, Dr. Sara Linton, needs him now more than ever to help her crack this case.

While the police force investigates the murder of a young woman pulled from a frigid lake, Trent investigates the police force, putting pressure on Adams just when she’s already about to crack. Caught between two complicated and determined women, trying to understand Linton’s passionate distrust of Adams, the facts surrounding Chief Tolliver’s death, and the complexities of this insular town, Trent will unleash a case filled with explosive secrets—and encounter a thin blue line that could be murderous if crossed.


Review: Whew. The police force is quite CROCKED in this book. The reason for the killing doesn't quite add up to the brutality of the murders. But I found myself more interested in Sara and Will and Tommy than our two murder victims. All in all, get ready for some twisted mess if you read this book. I definitely recommend it.  


18. Work Hard.Be Nice: When Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin signed up for Teach for America right after college and found themselves utter failures in the classroom, they vowed to remake themselves into superior educators. They did that—and more. In their early twenties, by sheer force of talent and determination never to take no for an answer, they created a wildly successful fifth-grade experience that would grow into the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), which today includes sixty-six schools in nineteen states and the District of Columbia.

KIPP schools incorporate what Feinberg and Levin learned from America's best, most charismatic teachers: lessons need to be lively; school days need to be longer (the KIPP day is nine and a half hours); the completion of homework has to be sacrosanct (KIPP teachers are available by telephone day and night). Chants, songs, and slogans such as "Work hard, be nice" energize the program. Illuminating the ups and downs of the KIPP founders and their students, Mathews gives us something quite rare: a hopeful book about education.


Review: KIPP school's beginnings. Inspirational. A quick read. Definitely worth the read - especially if you are interested in the educational system.

Books Fourteen, 15, Sixteen

14. Giada's Everyday Italian: In her hit Food Network show Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis shows you how to cook delicious, beautiful food in a flash. And here, in her long-awaited first book, she does the same—helps you put a fabulous dinner on the table tonight, for friends or just for the kids, with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of flavor. She makes it all look easy, because it is. Everyday Italian is true to its title: the fresh, simple recipes are incredibly quick and accessible, and also utterly mouth-watering—perfect for everyday cooking. And the book is focused on the real-life considerations of what you actually have in your refrigerator and pantry (no mail-order ingredients here) and what you’re in the mood for—whether a simply sauced pasta or a hearty family-friendly roast, these great recipes cover every contingency. So, for example, you’ll find dishes that you can make solely from pantry ingredients, or those that transform lowly leftovers into exquisite entrées (including brilliant ideas for leftover pasta), and those that satisfy your yearning to have something sweet baking in the oven. There are 7 ways to make red sauce more interesting, 6 different preparations of the classic cutlet, 5 perfect pestos, 4 creative uses for prosciutto, 3 variations on basic polenta, 2 great steaks, and 1 sublime chocolate tiramisù—plus 100 other recipes that turn everyday ingredients into speedy but special dinners.

What’s more,
Everyday Italian is organized according to what type of food you want tonight—whether a soul-warming stew for Sunday supper, a quick sauté for a weeknight, or a baked pasta for potluck. These categories will help you figure out what to cook in an instant, with such choices as fresh-from-the-pantry appetizers, sauceless pastas, everyday roasts, and stuffed vegetables—whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll be able to find a simple, delicious recipe for it here. That’s the beauty of Italian home cooking, and that’s what Giada De Laurentiis offers here—the essential recipes to make a great Italian dinner. Tonight.

Review: It has amazing reviews for a reason. Simple, delicious, and full of incredible tips. If you enjoy Italian - get this cook book immediately.

15. Happiness Project: Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project. 

In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.

Review: This was the book that surprised me the most. It's outstanding. Not self-helpy or preachy - just simple. Makes me think - what can I do to make myself happier?

16. Silver Sparrow: With the opening line of Silver Sparrow, “My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist,” author Tayari Jones unveils a breathtaking story about a man’s deception, a family’s complicity, and two teenage girls caught in the middle. 

Set in a middle-class neighborhood in Atlanta in the 1980s, the novel revolves around James Witherspoon’s two families—the public one and the secret one. When the daughters from each family meet and form a friendship, only one of them knows they are sisters. It is a relationship destined to explode when secrets are revealed and illusions shattered. As Jones explores the backstories of her rich yet flawed characters—the father, the two mothers, the grandmother, and the uncle—she also reveals the joy, as well as the destruction, they brought to one another’s lives. 

At the heart of it all are the two lives at stake, and like the best writers—think Toni Morrison with The Bluest Eye—Jones portrays the fragility of these young girls with raw authenticity as they seek love, demand attention, and try to imagine themselves as women, just not as their mothers.

Review: I read this in one sitting. It's incredible. MY FAVORITE SUMMER READ SO FAR. Get it now.

Books 11, Twelve, 13

All book descriptions are from Amazon. 
11. French Women For All Seasons: From the author of French Women Don't Get Fat, the #1 National Bestseller, comes an essential guide to the art of joyful living—in moderation, in season, and, above all, with pleasure.

Together with a bounty of new dining ideas and menus, Mireille Guiliano offers us fresh, cunning tips on style, grooming, and entertaining. Here are four seasons' worth of strategies for shopping, cooking, and exercising, as well as some pointers for looking effortlessly chic. Taking us from her childhood in Alsace-Lorraine to her summers in Provence and her busy life in New York and Paris, this wise and witty book shows how anyone anywhere can develop a healthy, holistic lifestyle.

Review: I read the first book, French Women Don't Get Fat. I loved it - but by the second installment - I'm over it. I think the difference between the books is that when I read the first book, I'd never been to France. By the second book, I had been to Paris. It is a beautiful place, but a lot of smoking, a lot of VERY thin women, and...not quite as "fanciful" as I expected... I think I'll take some of the advice, but if there is another book that comes out - I will skip it. Read the first book...it's far better.


12. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder: Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar and Lake Eden, Minnesota's own amateur sleuth extraordinaire, returns in "Lemon Meringue Pie Murder" to track down the killer of a neighbor with a sweet tooth.It's summer in Lake Eden and Hannah's younger sister Michelle is coming home for a visit. But before the family reunion can get under way, Hannah discovers the body of a local resident in the woman's basement. The only clue is one of Hannah's luscious lemon meringue pies on the kitchen counter with only one slice missing...even though from the looks of the victim's kitchen, she was planning an intimate dinner for two.Includes nine original cookie and dessert recipes for you to try!

Review: Same story as French Women - read the first one. I'm over it. The series reminds me of the Ladies Detective Agency series. Although I liked the LDA series better, both series have simple and sweet lead detectives and the crimes are not brutal and dark. Think Monk television series. The only thing with these series, esp. Lemon Meringue, is that it gets old. I want more from the main character and the people around her. I want to go deeper. All in all, I'm taking a break. It's definitely not a series where I can read the books back to back...


13. Sunday Brunch Club: Meet Capri, an attorney at a top Houston firm. She seems to have it all together all the time until a seductive client topples her self-control. Then there’s Jermane, a devout Catholic who met her husband in law school and has never been with another man. But now her workaholic marriage is threatened by temptation.

Angel, on the other hand, sees men merely as a means to sex. Her scorn for love of all kinds—godly or otherwise—is challenged by a serious health scare. Meanwhile, Jewel bases her dating choices on the size of a man’s bank account until she meets a new flame who causes her to reconsider her requirements.


Finally, there’s Lexi, the link between the ladies, who provides sage advice while praying for Mr. Right. But what happens when depression hits hard?

Through conversation and consolation, these dynamic characters provide one another with divine inspiration—encouraging readers to root for them along the way.


Review: This book was great. You will find yourself frustrated with each one of  the characters at different times in the book. Some compare it to Waiting to Exhale - I haven't read it. But will say that it's definitely better (to me) than Getting To Happy.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Book Ten: The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life

amazon.com:  Do you think that healthy food couldn't possibly taste good? Does the idea of "eating healthy" conjure up images of roughage and steamed vegetables? Author Ellie Krieger, host of Food Network's Healthy Appetite, will change all that. A registered dietitian, Ellie is also a lover and proponent of good, fresh food, simply but deliciously prepared. And she's not about denial--no nonfat foods here, because when you take the fat out of natural foods, in go the chemicals. Don't deny yourself butter--use a pat of it, but put it front and center on those mashed potatoes, so you can revel in it with all your senses. The Food You Crave is all you'll need to change the way you eat and change the way you feel. It contains 200 recipes that cover every meal of the day and every craving you might have. Every recipe contains a complete nutritional breakdown, as well as tips on ingredients and techniques that will keep you eating smart and eating well.

Review: Yes, this is a cookbook. Yes, this is a revisited book. I thought I should include it though, because I read through this as a book. There is so much helpful information in this book about healthy eating. The important FIVE: whole grain, fruits/veggies, lean meats, fish, beans/nuts/legumes. If you are a cook and find yourself reaching for the same recipes, boxes of food, or snacks - pick up this book! It has amazing reviews, recipes, and information!

Monday, April 16, 2012

Book 9: Garlic and Sapphires

This is the third book, I've read from rr. It was probably my least favorite - but I think I find food critic work less interesting than in the kitchen work. The first two novels were about her love of food - the development, her food heros, communal living, etc. Her other books were filled with terrific food, hippies, completely crazy but genuine people, california living, love and passion. This book included far too many pretentious people - chefs, waiters, and nytimes writers. I didn't like the people and I didn't like who ruth was becoming. I definitely recommend the book for those that have read her series, for those that find rc work interesting, or those that just want a good story. I'm sure the characters won't bother every one the way that they bothered me. Her book just highlighted the people, for me, the make food yucky. But then again, I'm totally a hippie slash 50's housewife when it comes to my food - I like it created out of love.

 Book Review:
Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. She also knows that as the most important food critic in the country, you need to be anonymous when reviewing some of the most high-profile establishments in the biggest restaurant town in the world—a charge she took very seriously, taking on the guise of a series of eccentric personalities. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl reveals the comic absurdity, artifice, and excellence to be found in the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world and gives us—along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews—her remarkable reflections on how one’s outer appearance can influence one’s inner character, expectations, and appetites, not to mention the quality of service one receives. http://www.amazon.com/Garlic-Sapphires-Secret-Critic-Disguise/dp/0143036610/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334594826&sr=1-1

Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (172 customer reviews)

Book Eight: Devil's Food Cake Murder

This is a cute series, it reminds me of the lady detective series in a way that the mystery is there but it is very soft. What shines through this book, like tld, is the strong community culture, the lady leads character, and the food. This book was an absolute pleasure. I can't wait to cut into the next book. Only thing that annoyed me (about this library pick) was that I couldn't easily tell the order of the series. Therefore, I'm not reading the books in order which is slightly annoying.

Book Summary
Hannah Swensen has to admit life is pretty sweet. Things are going well in the romance department and her bakery's delectable confections are selling as fast as she can bake them. Even her good friend Claire is head over heels with her new husband, Reverend Bob Knudson. If only they could find time to take their honeymoon! When Bob's childhood friend, Matthew Walters, comes to town, it seems like divine intervention. Matthew, like Bob, is a Lutheran minister with a stubborn sweet tooth. Since he's on sabbatical, Matthew is happy to fill in for Bob while he and Claire take that long-awaited honeymoon. It sounds like the perfect plan - until Hannah finds Matthew face-down in a plateful of Devil's Food Cake, a single bullet in his head. It will take some sleuthing to sift out the killer, but Hannah is sure of one thing: even the most half-baked murder plot can be oh so deadly...  
http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Murder-Hannah-Swensen-Mysteries/dp/0758234929/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334594606&sr=1-1
 
Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
 

Book 7: Getting to Happy

Really Terri Mcmillian? Are you kidding me? I was so disappointed by these characters. As Nana put it, the story felt like she rushed to get it out there. Everything in this book felt rushed, fake, and so far away from "reality" I didn't believe this for one moment and I didn't feel close to the characters that  I fell for so many years back with waiting to exhale. To be honest, I felt like the characters were lost. I think terri should have taken some advice from Drake and taken her time with this book. Make sure it was on point. I would not recommend this book if you are looking for reconnecting to the Waiting To Exhale characters.

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Happy-Terry-McMillan/dp/0451233344/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334594438&sr=1-1

From Publishers Weekly

Fifteen years after Waiting to Exhale, McMillan brings back Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine, and Robin--now in their 50s--for a disappointing and uninspired outing. As the story opens, Gloria is very happy, Savannah believes she might be happy, Bernadine is fighting addiction and losing ground, and single mother Robin is trying to resign herself to being alone while things at her job begin to unravel. Within the first few chapters, Gloria and Savannah are struck by disaster, and things go rapidly downhill from there for everyone. Most of the misery has to do with men who lie, steal, cheat, or disappear, or with adult children who face similar problems. Unfortunately, the beloved cast isn't given a story worthy of them; instead, this reunion reads like a catalogue of personal catastrophes annotated with very long, rambling discussions, with more emphasis on simple drama than character.

203 Reviews
5 star:
 (58)
4 star:
 (37)
3 star:
 (38)
2 star:
 (47)
1 star:
 (23)
 
 
 
 

Book Six: Sugar

Incredible! Its been over a month since I read this book and the characters are still with me. There were so many unbelievable turns, twist, and tear worthy moments. My goodness, this book is so well written - the picture is so vivid - even during moments that you wish it weren't. This was a great read - I definitely recommend it. Just know that it is extremely heavy.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Novel-Bernice-L-McFadden/dp/0452282209/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334594152&sr=1-2

From Publishers Weekly

With her eponymous anti-heroine, debut novelist McFadden breaks the mold of a venerable stereotype. Here, the hooker with a heart of gold is instead a hooker with a past so tarnished no amount of polishing can change her fate. As a baby, Sugar is abandoned by her mother and raised by a trio of prostitutes who run an Arkansas bordello. Turning tricks at age 12, and leaving town four years later to try her luck in St. Louis and then Detroit, brings more degradation, along with an ever-hardening heart. Upon her mother's death in 1955, Sugar is willed a modest home in Bigelow, Ark., but when she moves into town, and supports herself the only way she knows, the female population rises in wrath against her. All except Pearl, Sugar's next-door neighbor, who more than a decade ago lost her beloved daughter, Jude, to a vicious rapist/murderer. Pearl is struck by Sugar's uncanny likeness to Jude, and is determined to become Sugar's friend in spite of vocal disapproval. Although the two women are opposites in nearly every way, they bring out the best in each other: Sugar convinces Pearl to loosen up and accompany her to a Saturday night juke joint, and Sugar promises to go to church for two months of Sundays. Hypocritical gossip spreads among the townsfolk and tension grows when it turns out that nearly every married man in Bigelow pays a visit to Sugar, leaving the apparently frigid wives planning to run Sugar out of town. Pearl gives it her best shot to transform Sugar, but both women's painful pasts come back to haunt them in a crescendo of violent reenactments, betrayals and surprising revelations leading to a poignant, bittersweet ending. While hampered by a forced and compressed backstory, a surfeit of maudlin moments and some overwriting that is inadvertently funny, this ambitious first novel will appeal to readers who can appreciate Sugar's determination to come to terms with her past and fashion a viable future. Agent, James Vines. (Feb.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

195 Reviews
5 star:
 (148)
4 star:
 (31)
3 star:
 (10)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (195 customer reviews)
 

Oppss....Slippin'


Just like in the summers with my mom and in grade school - I read the books, but always dreaded the reports. Now, I don't know why I will sit around and write whatever floods my mind, but when it's time to add some structure into my life - I choke. I procrastinate. I don't do it. So, in order to get the books that I read out there and to extend a little empathy to myself - I've decided to give short descriptions and my review on the books. I will also include the amazon page for each book.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Book 5: Desert Flower

Ashley wrote a review on it and she definitely hit it on the head!
But for my rating, I would give it a B+, because I found it to be both interesting and also educational. Ashley read it in two days. Yes, the main character annoyed me - she definitely seemed unappreciative. But then again, she survived encounters with lions, men, a woman that mutilated her genitals (without pain killers) and the crazy world of modeling...for that BRAVO.

Although she is a harsher critic than I (ratings wise), to be honest, Ashley's review is amazing and why fix what's not broken:

Click here for her full article.
Recommended by: Shelby, but she was slightly apprehensive when handing it over.  “Let me know what you think about this one.  It’s…interesting.”

Genre: Non-fiction

Synopsis: Waris Dirie, a Somalian supermodel, shares her personal journey from being a nomad in the Sahara desert to finding superstardom.

My Recommendation: C.  I greatly appreciated the rags-to-riches story she presented, but was greatly disappointed in her lack of humility and sense of entitlement that she expressed throughout.  She was brutally honest about everything from her torturous personal account of her own female genital mutilation rite of passage to her flight from an arranged marriage with a 60+-year-old man, to her time spent playing maid/housekeeper in London for Somalia’s ambassador to her time struggling to obtain a legal passport that enabled her to become an international supermodel.  On the other hand, she seemed quite unappreciative of all the liberties she enjoyed as a result of others bending over backwards for her…she describes how harshly she spoke/treated to others around her and lacked a certain level of humility that I would expect people, of all cultures to have when interacting with others.

Final Thoughts: I still can’t get over how Dirie confronted Iman about why Iman didn’t use Dirie, a fellow Somalian, to model for Iman’s cosmetic line.  Dirie did it with such a level of aggression, hostility and entitlement that it turned me ALL the way off.  For a second I contemplated not finishing the book.  I was so over her and her diva tactics.  If you can see past that, I guess it was a good read.  Ultimately, it left a sour taste in my mouth.


 Click here for Ashley's list...

 Here is the movie trailer for the movie, Desert Flower, just in case you are more of a film person


P.S. Did you guys notice my FAVORITE model in the world, Liya Kebede, plays the lead. I definitely want to see this film!!!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Book Four: Hunger Games


Recommended by: Deniece
Amazon Review: 
4,538 Reviews
5 star:
 (3,479)
4 star:
 (652)
3 star:
 (203)
2 star:
 (96)
1 star:
 (108)
Average Customer Review
 Book Description: Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

My Review: B+. This was my "out of my shell" book. When I saw this book was young adult literature, I literally wanted to put the book right back on the shelf; however I'm happy I didn't. This was a HANDS DOWN page turner. I never read during the day. That said, I can honestly say, I rushed home to read this. Only reason why it's not an A, is that the characters were teens - kinda hard for me to fully commit to teenagers and the romance was "off" for me. But honestly, other than the romance, the characters' ages, a few "wish I had more details" moments, and my overall detachment - this book was great! I honestly, get why people loved it and debated (heavily) giving it an A. I hands down recommend this book - there's not a lot to say other than it's a thrilling page-turner. To briefly explain my detachment,  I found myself enjoying this book the way that one enjoys a fairy tale. Although I admired Katniss,  I didn't feel connected to the characters (okay Rue tugged at my heart strings). I will say, though, when Kat steps in her younger sister's place - I GOT THAT! I'm the older sibling of two amazing people, I get that need to protect. I totally responded to that loyalty - I would DEFINITELY take Renny's (or Kenny's) place when she was 12, now that she is 20, and when she is 77.
All in all, this book didn't leave me pondering life, wanting to be a better person or to travel to a foreign land - it was just a great story (point-blank). Loved it! 

Pairing: This book pairs well with your favorite childhood candy and soda. I had the best time reading under the hairdryer, nails freshly painted, enjoying Sour Patches and Pineapple pop.

Book 3: Nectar in a Sieve



Genre: Fiction/Signet Classics
Paperback: 208 pages 134
Average Amazon Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars (134 customer reviews)
Review Breakdown:  5 star: (40) 4 star: (56) 3 star: (16) 2 star: (11) 1 star: (11)

Brief Amazon Book Description: Named Notable Book of 1955 by the American Library Association, this is the very moving story of a peasant woman in a primitive village in India whose whole life was a gallant and persistent battle to care for those she loved. 

Review: Rukmani, a peasant from a village in India, lives a life of constant struggle, yet she is a source of strength for many. At age twelve she marries a man she has never met and moves with him to his rented farmland. Over the years their marriage fills with love, mutual respect, and children: one daughter and many sons. A tannery built near their village forever alters Rukmani's life, for the tannery takes away farmland and silence, and while it provides jobs, they come with great costs. The changes in village life from an agricultural to an industrial community frighten Rukmani; her life becomes one of "Hope and fear. Twin forces that tugged at us first in one direction and then in another...Fear, constant companion of the peasant. Hunger, ever present to jog his elbow should he relax. Despair, ready to engulf him should he falter."

My Review: A-. Literally could have been one of  the most depressing books I've EVER read (similar to the sadness I felt while reading, The Kite Runner), but it wasn't. For me, it was like reading the most beautiful love story. It's funny, because there were so many characters - all dealing with their sadness, pain, hunger, depression - to feel sorry for.  In this book there was prostitution, the hungry were killed,  children with rotten teeth and limbs missing, our heroine dealing with an overwhelming amount of tragedy, and all around destitute; however there was a love story...not the traditional love story...not the butterflies in your belly love story...or the passionate lust love story...but this unknown kind of love story. It was so beautiful to me that I found myself, putting the book down, because it was so heavy and I needed time to digest it all. The speaker is point-blank inspirational. If you are going through a "ingrate" phase, which we all do, please read this book. It will definitely give you a jolt of gratefulness.

Pairing: This book is best with black tea, esp. Darjeeling and Ceylon (an Indian black tea). I also really enjoy Orange Pekoe (combined with a coconut based black tea). Make sure to add cream or milk to all teas - along with a touch of honey. And I believe all black tea should be accompanied by a sweet tea biscuit with jam (preferably Mango jam - keeping to the Indian fruit tradition). I also found myself yearning for Indian cuisine - the descriptions are fantastic.

Memorable Quote: There were so many, but I loved
"Bend like the grass that you do not break."

Monday, January 23, 2012

Book Two: The Red Tent

Recommended by: Nana
Author: Anita Diamont
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 321
Description: Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood--the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers--Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah--the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women's society.
Amazon Reviews:
5 star:
 (1,006)
4 star:
 (267)
3 star:
 (102)
2 star:
 (96)
1 star:
 (160)
Average Customer Review

Purchase Information: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tent-Anita-Diamant/dp/0312195516

My Grade: B

My Thoughts:  First and foremost, I learned something about myself after going to the play The Mountaintop (depiction of MLK Jr) and reading this book, I have a really hard time reading non-fiction books about fictional people. It's hard for me to get into the author's imagination about a real person - I am constantly thinking about the facts. I am just not for the "loosely based" thing - unless it's a lifetime movie about someone or something that I don't know anything about. I tell you this, because this story is very well researched, but very loosely based on a bible figure. And although Dinah was a very "minor" figure in the bible, her brother Joseph is one of my biblical heroes. I know their story very well - so to read this I was slightly thrown off my Ms. Diamont's interpretation of events. 

All that said, it was a great book. It's obvious that Ms. Diamont knows her biblical history (as far as the culture, food, etc.) and took the time necessary to research. In the beginning the book starts off slow, but heats up big time by the middle. Once Dinah becomes a "woman" (gets her period) - you are on an inspirational roller coaster. This book is the first book that made me proud to have a period - that's for sure. It really awakened my imagination to a world without antibiotics, Advil (medication), tampoons, pain killers, and doctors. Although I was in no way envious or nostalgic of the women's lives in this book, there was a bit of intrigue and yearning...and wanting to...I dunno...be a Genesis kind of woman. It's hard to explain, but I will say that it is a book that I will definitely recommend. But be ready for

Pairing: This book pairs well with a glass of red wine or black tea. It's best suited for winter or fall. A big blanket either outside at night or on the couch curled up.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Book 1: It's Your Time


It's Your Time
By Joel Osteen
pgs. 300

118 Reviews
5 star:
 (83)
4 star:
 (12)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (4)
1 star:
 (14)


Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (118 customer reviews)
Recommended by: Mike, he read it and gave it to me stating that "it changed his life." He'd been asking me to read it for the last six months. His mother bought him the book. Mike read it right before starting his new job. I literally watched (and heard about) the book transforming his way of thinking. There were many nights that he got extremely excited about the book and read me his favorite passages

My Grade: B

My thoughts: First thoughts - "I already know this stuff." I wasn't really excited about reading this book, because Mike already talked to me about it. Additionally, I'm very familiar with Joel Osteen - I've read one of his books, get his emails, and I've heard his messages. This was nothing new; however in the middle of the book something changed. It got to be incredibly inspiring and really did make me think about my faith. I noticed myself talking, thinking, and believing differently - better. I will say though, by the end of the book, I made a complete 360 and was back at the feeling "I already know this stuff."


Recommendation: I'd recommend this book, esp. if you haven't read a Joel Osteen book and you are looking for an inspirational read. However if you've read a Joel Osteen book, I would say you get the point. No need to rush out and grab this book, there was recycled information and stories in this book.


All in all, it good. Inspirational. Joel Osteen stays true to his brand in this book. Once you've read one - you've read them all.

Pairing: This book is best paired with a big cup of coffee with cream and sugar (iced or hot). Best read when about to start a new phase of life or in the spring. Have your highlighter handy.