Darling

  I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Darling

Author: Mercedes M Yardley

Publisher: Black Spot Books

Release Date: 8.23.22

Publisher’s Summary 

Darling has its demons.

Cherry LaRouche escaped the claws of Darling, Louisiana at sixteen. When she is forced to return after her mother’s death, Cherry and her children move back into her childhood home where the walls whisper and something sinister skitters across the roof at night.

While Cherry tries to settle back into a town where evil spreads like infection, the bodies of several murdered children turn up. When Cherry’s own daughter goes missing, she’s forced to confront the true monsters of Darling.

My Review

Pitched as "The Lovely Bones meets The Lottery," Darling's summary had me instantly interested. However, the novel fell a bit flat for me. I rated this a solid 3 stars because there is a great story here but this story should have had a serious round of edits to make it into a shorter novella. I loved that this story featured a "flawed" female main character. Cherry has made some mistakes but she loves her kids. I also loved that the author chose to include a character based on her own son. Cherry's son has a heart condition and possibly autism. This aspect was extremely well written, from his actions to how other characters respond to him. The story itself is a great rural noir read, similar to Chevy Stevens and Laura McHugh. The main problem was wading through some of the details and repetitiveness that made the first 75% of the story drag somewhat. Then the ending felt like too much happening all at once, but not in a "wrapping everything up" kind of way. There is also the whole aspect of the supernatural. There are references to different supernatural occurrences but then they aren't really dissected. Are these instances supposed to be metaphors for the human condition? Finally, everyone keeps calling everyone "darling" and the town's name is Darling, but there is never a big "aha" connection here--totally a missed opportunity! 

Blog Tour: The Three Dahlias

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Three Dahlias

Author: Katy Watson

Publisher: Mobius

Release Date: 7.26.22

Publisher’s Summary 

Three rival actresses team up to solve a murder at the stately home of the author who made them famous - only to discover the solution lies in the stories themselves. A contemporary mystery with a Golden Age feel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Jessica Fellowes.

In attendance: the VIP fans, staying at Aldermere; the fan club president turned convention organizer; the team behind the newest movie adaptation of Davenport's books; the Davenport family themselves - and the three actresses famous for portraying Lettice's 1930s detective, Dahlia Lively.

National treasure Rosalind King, from the original movies. TV Dahlia for thirteen seasons, Caro Hooper. And ex-child star Posy Starling, fresh out of the fame wilderness (and rehab) to take on the Dahlia mantle for the new movie.

Each actress has her own interpretation of the character - but this English summer weekend they will have to put aside their differences, as the crimes at Aldermere turns anything but cosy.

When fictional death turns into real bodies, can the three Dahlias find the answers to the murders among the fans, the film crew, the family - or even in Lettice's books themselves?

My Review

A weekend conference has been organized to celebrate late author Lettice Davenport and her famous main character, female investigator Dahlia Lively (think Agatha Christie and Jane Marple.) VIP attendees, the three actresses who have/will be playing Dahlia, and Lettice's family members are all staying at the family home, Aldermere, for the weekend. When a death occurs, some of the attendees believe it is a murder, and begin their own investigations. The three Dahlias form a team of their own to determine what is really going on at Aldemere and who is behind a series of suspicious activities. Disconnected from all technology and asking themselves "What would Dahlia do?" these unofficial detectives bring a vintage, Golden Age vibe to the story's modern setting. 

Before the story even began, I knew I was going to love the style of this novel. The first pages include a full list of houseguests and maps of the country home's interior and grounds. The pacing and chapter breaks were all well done, and I truly kept changing my mind about the suspects until the very end. The Three Dahlias is the perfect modern cozy mystery!

Vino: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Vino: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine

Author: Joe Campanale, Joshua David Stein (Contributor)

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Release Date: 4.26.22

Publisher’s Summary 

The Italian wine bible for a new generation--a superstar sommelier and restaurateur explores the dynamic world of contemporary Italian wine.

"Joe gives us the gift of learning about the ever-evolving landscape of the world's most soulful (and might I say favorite?) wine region."--Danny Meyer

Acclaimed Italian wine expert, sommelier, winemaker, and restaurateur, Joe Campanale presents a comprehensive guide that is as transportive as it is deeply educational. Vino dives into the dynamic landscape of Italian wine today, where a new generation of winemakers is eschewing popular international styles, championing long-forgotten indigenous grapes, and adopting sustainable approaches best suited for their local climates.

In an epic quest through Italy's 20 regions that takes readers from the steep hills of Valle d'Aosta to the near-tropical climates of Sicily, Campanale uncovers and profiles the diversity of real Italian wine and the most exciting, game-changing producers in each area. Readers will leave with countless recommendations for exceptional winemakers and be armed with Campanale's empowering new rubric of quality (say goodbye to the Italian wine pyramid). Full of colorful stories, in-depth explorations of the modern craft, and stunning photography, Vino proves there's never been a better time to drink Italian wine.

My Review

This is one of those "whoa" books to add to your drinks books/cookbooks collection. This is not a photo-heavy overview of Italian wine, but rather an in-depth analysis and extensive history of the country's wine production and consumption. This would be a perfect gift for a wine lover or to add to a bar area/drinks cart. 

Friends to Keep in Art and Life

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Friends to Keep in Art and Life

Author: Nicole Tersigni

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Release Date: 9.6.22

Publisher’s Summary 

From the author of the bestselling ballbuster Men to Avoid in Art and Life comes Friends to Keep in Art and Life, a hilarious and relatable celebration of female friendships.

Pairing classical paintings with funny, irreverent captions, Nicole Tersigni honors all sorts of sacred female friendships and the miscellaneous nonsense that brings women closer together. Focusing on five major friend types (the Work Friend, the Nurturing Friend, the Hide a Body for You Friend, the Up for Anything Friend, and the Super Honest Friend), Tersigni's meme-style humor perfectly captures all of the weird-but-special, intimate, cherished, and often laugh-out-loud moments that define female friendship.

My Review

A hilarious collection of meme-worthy photos that are guaranteed to make you laugh. Gift this to your girlfriends or keep it on a coffee table/nightstand for an instant pick-me-up. This book would be best experienced in its physical form or on a color e-reader. 

The Book Eaters

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Book Eaters

Author: Sunyi Dean

Publisher: Tor Books

Release Date: 8.2.22

Publisher’s Summary 

Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries.

Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon—like all other book eater women—is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairytales and cautionary stories.

But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger—not for books, but for human minds.

My Review

In The Book Eaters, female book eaters are rare and married off with the sole purpose of reproduction to continue their line. Book eater princess Devon gives birth to a mind eater but rather than give her son up to the Knights, she fights back against the system that oppresses her. On the run and in search of Redemption (a medicine to abate her son's hunger) she is pushed to her limits. This book is borderline horror so if you are squeamish this might not be the one for you, but if you like dark fairytales and strong, vengeful mothers, you should check this out. 

A Year at Catbird Cottage

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: A Year at Catbird Cottage: Recipes for a Nourished Life

Author: Melina Hammer

Publisher: Ten Speed Press 

Release Date: 5.31.22

Publisher’s Summary 

100 recipes for seasonal, locally sourced, and foraged dishes from the owner of the idyllic Catbird Cottage B&B in upstate New York.

At the foot of the Shawangunk Mountain Ridge lies the hamlet of Accord, New York, dotted with orchards and farms, population 562. There, Melina Hammer welcomes guests from near and far to stay and eat at Catbird Cottage, a B&B run out of her charming home. Her eclectic table is set with meals that showcase stories and ingredients from her own garden, New York’s wild landscape, and her travels around the globe.

In her debut cookbook, Melina shares the beloved recipes from this special place, all presented seasonally just like the meals at Catbird Cottage. These recipes are organized by season, since the seasons dictate what’s on the Catbird Cottage table. Whether it’s Wild Salmon Gravlax, Scallop-Shiso Ceviche, Buttery Scrambled Eggs and Chanterelles, Sour Cherry Pie, or a fall-apart persimmon served with triple-cream cheese and freshly baked sourdough bread, Melina’s food is deeply satisfying and sustaining—and emphasizes cooking and living in a more connected and joyful way.

Melina also shares her foraging and preserving know-how, allowing readers to stock their pantries, cupboards, and freezers. But these recipes don’t require you be a fully-fledged homesteader, expert forager, or connoisseur of global flavor. The book takes the foundations of these sustainable practices and integrates them into an accessible kitchen vernacular of complete nourishment. The food of Catbird Cottage is community on a plate—grown, harvested, persevered, and presented with love—and shared with cherished companions.

My Review

I am fascinated by homesteading and was familiar with many of the practices growing up, but unlike the author who forages for lots of ingredients, my family only foraged for wild mushrooms. I found this cookbook very aspirational and focused on the true back-to-basics ways of gathering hyperlocal ingredients to incorporate into dishes. 

I want to praise the entire collection but I really can't stop fixating on a single recipe: Pickled Watermelon Rind. I tried pickled watermelon rind last summer while on vacation in Orlando and immediately became obsessed. I hunted high and low for where I could buy some when I got home and couldn't find it anywhere! I had everyone I knew looking for it. My friend found some at a farmer's market but then the lady put on her website that she was on vacation...indefinitely. That same friend then found some at one of our local grocery stores and now I've been shelling out $9/jar every 2 weeks. Now I'm so excited to try the Pickled Watermelon Rind recipe here and see how they turn out. 

Widowland

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Widowland

Author: C.J. Carey

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Date: 8.9.22

Publisher’s Summary 

To control the past, they edited history. To control the future, they edited literature.

LONDON, 1953. Thirteen years have passed since England surrendered to the Nazis and formed a Grand Alliance with Germany. It was forced to adopt many of its oppressive ideologies, one of which was the strict classification of women into hierarchical groups based on the perceived value they brought to society.

Rose Ransom, a member of the privileged Geli class, remembers life from before the war but knows better than to let it show. She works for the Ministry of Culture, rewriting the classics of English literature to ensure there are no subversive thoughts that will give women any ideas.

Outbreaks of insurgency have been seen across the country with graffiti made up of seditious lines from forbidden works by women painted on public buildings. Suspicion has fallen on Widowland, the run-down slums where childless women over fifty have been banished. Rose is given the dangerous task of infiltrating Widowland to find the source of the rebellion before the Leader arrives in England for the Coronation ceremony of King Edward VIII and Queen Wallis. Will Rose follow her instructions and uncover the criminals? Or will she fight for what she knows in her heart is right?

With wit, suspense, and sheer originality, C. J. Carey has crafted an eerie story of “what if” that explores how some systems of female control cherished by the Nazis would have developed in a German-occupied England.

My Review

In this alternate history, the entire female population is classified into hierarchical order. Geli Girls are the most elite, Klaras are "fertile women who had produced, ideally, four or more children," professional women are Lenis, and women in caring professions are Paulas. Then come the Magda shop and factory workers, the Gretl houseworkers, and finally the Friedas, a nickname from "Friedhöfsfrauen—cemetery women. These were widows and spinsters over fifty who had no children and no reproductive purpose and who did not serve a man. There was nothing lower than that." A woman's classification determines everything from her profession, to her marriage options, to her calorie allocation: "2,613 for Gelis, 2,020 for Lenis, 2,006 for Magdas, Gretls 1,800, and Friedas, 879." 

The Leader will be visiting soon and political graffiti (lines from forbidden works of literature written by women) keeps showing up in or near libraries. Ministry of Culture worker (classic texts "editor") Rose Ransom is sent on a top-secret mission to the Widowlands to flush out the rebels. There are hundreds of thousands of women in the Widowlands, every inch of the city is under constant surveillance and she is second-guessing everyone and everything she thought she knew.

This historical fiction novel was heavy on British and German history and it is easy to understand see how all that knowledge comes through in the text. Author C. J. Carey has also written "several novels under the name Jane Thynne, based around women in prewar and wartime Germany, with a particular focus on the way the regime dictated their daily lives." In the closing acknowledgments, I found the following line especially poignant: "Sowing division, turning citizens against each other, controlling the media, and restricting what people read are the skillsets of dictators everywhere." She also pointed out that "Although the setting is fictional, many figures in this novel existed, and the story is based on the genuine SS collection task force established by Alfred Rosenberg to loot Europe’s libraries for books between 1939 and 1945. Tens of millions of books were plundered from libraries in every country of Europe and brought back to several archives, including Rosenberg’s Amt Schrifttumspflege in Berlin. Rosenberg’s approach to controlling literature went far beyond book burnings, and the team he established aimed to adjust certain aspects of history to reflect National Socialist beliefs about the past."

I am now anxiously anticipating the sequel to Widowland, which the author confirmed is in production. 

Mi Cocina

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico

Author: Rick Martinez

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Release Date: 5.3.22

Publisher’s Summary 

NEW YORK TIMES AND LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER - A highly personal love letter to the beauty and bounty of México in more than 100 transportive recipes, from the beloved food writer and host of the Babish Culinary Universe show Pruébaloon YouTube and Food52's Sweet Heat

"This intimate look at a country's cuisine has as much spice as it does soul."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED COOKBOOKS OF 2022--Time, Food52

Join Rick Martínez on a once-in-a-lifetime culinary journey throughout México that begins in Mexico City and continues through 32 states, in 156 cities, and across 20,000 incredibly delicious miles. In Mi Cocina, Rick shares deeply personal recipes as he re-creates the dishes and specialties he tasted throughout his journey. Inspired by his travels, the recipes are based on his taste memories and experiences. True to his spirit and reflective of his deep connections with people and places, these dishes will revitalize your pantry and transform your cooking repertoire.

Highlighting the diversity, richness, and complexity of Mexican cuisine, he includes recipes like herb and cheese meatballs bathed in a smoky, spicy chipotle sauce from Oaxaca called Albóndigas en Chipotle; northern México's grilled Carne Asada that he stuffs into a grilled quesadilla for full-on cheesy-meaty food euphoria; and tender sweet corn tamales packed with succulent shrimp, chiles, and roasted tomatoes from Sinaloa on the west coast. Rick's poignant essays throughout lend context--both personal and cultural--to quilt together a story that is rich and beautiful, touching and insightful.

My Review

Rick Martínez spent 586 days traveling and eating his way through México, finally deciding on 104 dishes to include in this cookbook. His beautifully written and heart-felt introduction leads into a chapter on the basics and then seven chapters dedicated to different regions of México. Martínez shares details about techniques and cooking methods as well as lots of interesting information about each region's history, influences, and traditions. 

Table of Contents

1. Básicos: Staples of the Mexican Table
2. El Bajío and Central Mexico
3. Oaxaca and the South Pacific Coast
4. Yucatán Peninsula
5. El Golfo Central 
6. El Norte The Northern States 
7. Pacífico Central 
8. Baja California Peninsula

I will admit that I do not cook a lot of Méxican food and I know that the dishes that I do prepare are an extremely Americanized version of authentic Méxican cuisine. Mi Cocina has inspired me to venture outside of my tacos and enchiladas comfort zone. I have so many recipes I want to try from this cookbook but the recipes I'm most excited to try are:  Gaspacho Moreliano (mango, pineapple, jicama salad with an orange-lime dressing,) Pozole Verde estilo Guerrero (hearty hominy and chicken stew with poblano, tomatillo, and pumpkin seeds,) Mole Amarillo con Chochoyotes (chicken and corn dumplings simmered in a velvety-chile sauce,) and Tacos Envenenados (crispy fried corn tortillas filled with potatoes, chorizo, refried beans, and steak.)  

The "photo-text-recipes" ratios are perfect in this cookbook. There are lots of photos, including one for every recipe and each recipe is presented in a concise and easy-to-follow format. I recommend this cookbook for every kitchen!

Cults

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Cults: Inside the World's Most Notorious Groups and Understanding the People Who Joined Them

Author: Max Cutler

Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: 7.12.22

Publisher’s Summary 

Mystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside them? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of cult leaders and the people who join them? Based on the hit podcast Cults, this is essential reading for any true crime fan.

Cults prey on the very attributes that make us human: our desire to belong; to find a deeper meaning in life; to live everyday with divine purpose. Their existence creates a sense that any one of us, at any time, could step off the cliff’s edge and fall into that daunting abyss of manipulation and unhinged dedication to a misplaced cause. Perhaps it’s this mindset that keeps us so utterly obsessed and desperate to learn more, or it’s that the stories are so bizarre and unsettling that we are simply in awe of the mechanics that make these infamous groups tick.

The premier storytelling podcast studio Parcast has been focusing on unearthing these mechanics—the cult leaders and followers, and the world and culture that gave birth to both. Parcast’s work in analyzing dozens of case studies has revealed patterns: distinct ways that cult leaders from different generations resemble one another. What links the ten notorious figures profiled in Cults are as disturbing as they are stunning—from Manson to Applewhite, Koresh to Raël, the stories woven here are both spellbinding and disturbing.

Cults is more than just a compilation of grisly biographies, however. In these pages, Parcast’s founder Max Cutler and national bestselling author Kevin Conley look closely at the lives of some of the most disreputable cult figures and tell the stories of their rise to power and fall from grace, sanity, and decency. Beyond that, it is a study of humanity, an unflinching look at what happens when the most vulnerable recesses of the mind are manipulated and how the things we hold most sacred can be twisted into the lowest form of malevolence.

My Review

In recent years I've become more and more interested in cults and religions, mainly the psychology of their followers. I like dissecting how followers and leaders arrive at their ways of thinking through personal histories, rituals, and group validation. Max Cutler has written something of a "top ten" compilation and I absolutely devoured every word. Each chapter focuses on a different cult:

1. Charles Manson and The Family
2. Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo and The Narcosatanists
3. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
4. Jim Jones and The People's Temple
5. Claude Vorilhon and Raëlism
6. Roch Thériault and The Ant Hill Kids
7. David Koresh and The Branch Davidians
8. Keith Raniere and NXIVM
9. Credonia Mwerinde and The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God
10. Marshall Applewhite and Heaven's Gate

I was pretty familiar with Marshall Applewhite and Heaven's Gate because their mass suicide (the largest mass suicide in US history) occurred on March 26, 1997. My daughter was born 2 months prior so I was awake at all hours watching TV while the news ran this all on a loop. I also knew quite a bit about Charles Manson and The Family, Jim Jones and The People's Temple, David Koresh and The Branch Davidians, and Keith Raniere and NXIVM, but I still learned a lot from each chapter. The others I had never even heard of so I was definitely shocked by all of their contents. A couple of super interesting facts regarding Credonia Mwerinde and The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, are:

1. She has a higher death toll than the mass suicide/deaths at Jonestown (which was 914 members) but because there were so many unverified killings and mass graves that her total death toll is unknown.

2. She took a bus out of town after one of her mass killings and has never been found! 

Face

 

 I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Face

Author: Joma West

Publisher: Tordotcom

Release Date: 8.2.22

Publisher’s Summary 

Life is competitive; all the best babies are designed now.

Schuyler and Madeline Burroughs have the perfect Face—rich and powerful enough to assure their dominance in society.

But in SchAddie’s household, cracks are beginning to appear. Schuyler is bored and taking risks. Maddie is becoming brittle, her happiness ever more fleeting. And their menial is fighting the most bizarre compulsions.

In Face, skin color is an aesthetic choice designed by professionals, consent is a pre-checked box on the path to social acceptance, and your online profile isn’t just the most important thing—it’s the only thing.

Face is a novel about the lies we allow ourselves to believe in order to make us feel whole.

My Review

Based on the summary, I thought I would LOVE this futuristic look at a predominantly virtual society and its commentary on racism and classism, but it really fell flat. The primary goal of this caste-based society is image, aka the "face" you present to the world. High-class couples literally customize and order their babies to be delivered via surrogate because there is no touching here--not between husbands and wives and not between parents and children. The ultimate goal is to have children with contrasting features from the parents, thus presenting the ultimate desired aesthetic appearance. While these ideas may seem strange, a talented author would know how to present them in a way that readers could understand and piece together into the larger picture (World Building 101) but that is not the case here. There are no follow-up descriptions of processes or backstory as to why things are happening. Instead, the EXACT conversations are repeated over and over from each participant's point of view to the point that I just about screamed. Overall, great potential and a stellar concept but it falls extremely short of my expectations on delivery.  

Everything for Everyone

  I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune, 2052–2072

Author: 

M. E. O'Brien,

 

Eman Abdelhadi

Publisher: Common Notions

Release Date: 8.2.22

Publisher’s Summary 

By the middle of the twenty-first century, war, famine, economic collapse, and climate catastrophe had toppled the world's governments. In the 2050s, the insurrections reached the nerve center of global capitalism—New York City. This book, a collection of interviews with the people who made the revolution, was published to mark the twentieth anniversary of the New York Commune, a radically new social order forged in the ashes of capitalist collapse.

Here is the insurrection in the words of the people who made it, a cast as diverse as the city itself. Nurses, sex workers, antifascist militants, and survivors of all stripes recall the collapse of life as they knew it and the emergence of a collective alternative. Their stories, delivered in deeply human fashion, together outline how ordinary people's efforts to survive in the face of crisis contain the seeds of a new world.

My Review

Hmmm, how do you define this fiction book that's not a novel? A futuristic alternate history? Utopian speculative fiction? A handbook for a new world order?  The collection of 12 interviews read like nonfiction in their traditional formatting and style. Even the topics and language, while evolved from current situations and terminology, feel contemporary and accessible. I definitely found this book interesting and thought-provoking, but I would refrain from recommending this to an average reader. Instead, I would recommend this to readers with a bit more of a foothold and interest in social, economic, and gender theories, as this book reads more like a book from a college course syllabus.