Book Review: Beat Bobby Flay: Conquer the Kitchen with 100+ Battle-Tested Recipes: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay

Beat Bobby Flay: Conquer the Kitchen with 100+ Battle-Tested Recipes: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a long-time fan of the Beat Bobby Flay TV show, it was fun to re-live the episodes by reading the recipes. It's always amazing to me that these chefs can make these dishes in under 45 minutes. Obviously they have time management skills that this home chef just doesn't! Impressive!

View all my reviews

Book Review: Past Tense by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #23)

Past Tense by Lee Child
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

#23 in the Jack Reacher series, and I'm working my way through them in order. This book has dual story lines - Reacher stopping in a small New Hampshire town to find out more about where his father grew up, and a young Canadian couple with car trouble who take refuge at a remote motel. The chapters alternate between the two story lines, eventually converging when Reacher comes to the rescue. It's a real page-turner, but I turned the pages quickly yet cautiously -- I didn't want to find out what the young couple was facing, but I couldn't wait to find out! Of course, Reacher ran into a few characters along the way who needed a lesson, as usual. All in all, another Reacher tale which doesn't disappoint.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Tucci Cookbook by Stanley Tucci

The Tucci Cookbook by Stanley Tucci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the cookbook that every family wishes that they compiled...all of the recipes from every relative! Stanley Tucci has recipes from his parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Italy. In addition, he worked with Chef Gianni Scappin in preparation for the film he wrote/director/starred in, "The Big Night" and it contains many of his recipes. This book has more classic Italian family recipes than his later cookbook, "The Tucci Table." It includes memoirs from each of his parents, Stanley Tucci and Joan Tropiano Tucci. Overall, an excellent cookbook and tribute to an Italian family!

View all my reviews

Book Review: A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes #1)

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first book in the Sherlock Holmes / John Watson series! It was fascinating to find out how they initially met and started living / working together. The story jumps from London in the 1880s to the western United States several decades earlier in order to give the reader the necessary backstory. That portion of the novella was a little too detailed and dusty for me, and I was anxious to get back to the real mystery and action with Holmes and Watson. Overall, a fun read especially since I loved the British Sherlock TV series. Looking forward to reading more of their escapades.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Trespasser by Tana French (Dublin Murder Squad #5)

The Trespasser by Tana French
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another fantastic Tana French / Dublin Murder Squad book! I was immediately drawn into the characters -- detectives Antoinette Conway and Stephen Moran. They are partners on the midnight shift, and have a sixth sense about each other. We follow them as they investigate a murder, all while being pressured by the other detectives on the squad. French has a lovely way of setting a scene and making the reader feel like they are right there with the detectives. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she will continue to write Dublin Murder Squad books.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Quick Fix Kitchen: Easy Recipes and Time-Saving Tips for a Healthier, Stress-Free Life: A Cookbook by Tia Mowry

The Quick Fix Kitchen: Easy Recipes and Time-Saving Tips for a Healthier, Stress-Free Life: A Cookbook by Tia Mowry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is a great book for someone starting out cooking. LOTS of background information -- what tools/equipment to have, pantry basics to have on hand, meal planning techniques, how to store staples, etc. However, I wanted to see the recipes and they didn't kick in until page 128! Not as many recipes as I expected.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore by Patric Richardson

Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore by Patric Richardson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This books conveys a lot of fantastic information but needs to be presented in a much better, more useful format. I did not enjoy all of the memoir style vignettes and stories about all of his relatives.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Bobby at Home: Fearless Flavors from My Kitchen: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay

Bobby at Home: Fearless Flavors from My Kitchen: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A sneak peek at what Bobby Flay cooks at home. He often mentions dishes that are on the menus at his restaurants and re-makes the recipes to make at home. Everything is very approachable for the home cook. Lots of mouth-watering photos of the food.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis

The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A historical novel focusing on The Barbizon Hotel for Women in New York City. The story is told in two different times and by two different protagonists. Darby is a young woman from Ohio who moves to NYC in 1952 to attend the Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School. Rose is a mid-career journalist in 2016 who is writing an investigative article on the history of the Barbizon and the women who lived there over the years. The reader gets a real feel for the 1950's in NYC: jazz clubs, heroin use, the role of women in society, dress codes, the Barbizon house mother, and most of all how the Barbizon provided a safe place to live for young single women who were new to the big city. The alternating chapters and storytellers (1952 and 2016) weave together very nicely and move toward a suspenseful conclusion.

View all my reviews