Book Review: The Maid by Nita Prose

The Maid by Nita Prose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Molly Gray is a maid  at a swanky hotel in England.  She is neuro-atypical, which is perfect for her job because she loves to clean, and to follow rules and set procedures.  Up until recently, she lived with her grandmother who helped her navigate through the complex world of social skills, what people say, and what the mean.  However, her grandmother recently passed away and Molly is still grieving.  She finds a dead body in one the rooms and is soon charged with murder.  With the help of some new-found friends, she helps solve the murder and clear herself of the charges.  This book covers a lot of topics, but the charm is Molly herself.  I was really pulling for her throughout the entire book.  

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Book Review: Sunny's Kitchen: Easy Food For Real Life by Sunny Anderson

Sunny's Kitchen: Easy Food For Real Life by Sunny Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anyone who watches The Kitchen on Food Network knows Sunny Anderson.  She's as bright as her name, and brings her humor and cooking skills to the show every week.  I finally got a chance to read her cookbook, which was published 10 years ago.  This book is a tribute to her family, her military service, and all the places she has lived throughout her life (the official list is included in the back of the book!).  Interspersed are photos of Sunny at various ages.  I definitely want to try the majority of her recipes, and the color photos definitely do them justice.

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Book Review: Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book that I have read by author Mary Roach.  I have to say that when she sets out of research a book, she throws herself into it!  I don't read a lot of non-fiction books, but her style of narrative non-fiction is incredibly captivating.  Plus she's got a real sense of humor which frequently comes through, making serious subjects much more light-hearted.  Even her footnotes are a lot of fun -- don't skip them!  Our book club discussion was very interesting.

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Book Review: The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A delightful historical novel which details the lives of four women in rural England during World War II. They are in the midst of food rationing, trying their best to make tasty food for their families with the limited resources they are allowed. The four women enter a contest on BBC radio to see who can create the tastiest appetizer, main dish and dessert. The winner will be the next presenter on the Kitchen Front radio show. The book encompasses laughter, heartbreak, love, disappointment, personal struggles, friendship, and every emotion in between. Recipes are also included after each chapter, and the author has done extensive research to make the story and recipes historically accurate. All-in-all, a feel-good novel. 

UPDATE: I just finished reading this book for the second time for one of my book clubs. I typically don't re-read a book for book club if I've read it before. I was planning on just lightly skimming it to re-familiarize myself with the plot and the characters. But once again, the story drew me in right away and I ended up reading it cover-to-cover. I think I enjoyed it even more the second time around! I loved how the four women ended up overcoming personal differences and working together; they were even more as a team than each of them were individually. I highly recommend this book! 

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Book Review: Happy Place by Emily Henry

Happy Place by Emily Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(3 1/2 stars) - I read this book several weeks ago, and purposely held off writing the review in order to have my feelings about it 'simmer.'  I'm definitely an Emily Henry fan and have read three of her books in the past couple of months (People we meet on vacation, Beach read, and Book lovers).  I was really looking forward to her latest book, but was a little disappointed.

The premise is very compelling - Harriet and Wyn have been together for ten years and are engaged.  Every year they meet two other couples and spend a week in a beach house mansion in Maine.  These are long-term friends who met in college and have an incredible closeness.  However, Harriet has not told them that she and Wyn have broken up. 

Once again there is a non-linear timeline, with chapters alternating between the past ("Real Life" back story) and present ("Happy Place").  And Emily Henry is a master of writing excellent dialog.  This was a very emotional read for me, and the book is full of grief, trauma and missed opportunities.   I was hoping for something a little lighter and more uplifting for this summer read.

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Book Review: The Searcher by Tana French

The Searcher by Tana French
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of Tana French's two stand-alone books.  I read all six of her Dublin Murder Squad books and thoroughly enjoyed them.  This book is very different in pace, tone, character, and plot from that series.  Cal Hooper is a retired Chicago police officer who wants to get a fresh start -- he is recently divorced and his adult daughter lives in Seattle.  He buys a run-down cottage and moves to a very small village on the western coast of Ireland.  A local 12-year old whose brother has gone missing befriends Cal and asks for his assistance in finding out what happened to him.  The plot and characters build very slowly but before I knew it I was invested in Cal and the village life.  The writing is exactly what I would expect of Tana French -- very descriptive with a strong sense of place. 

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