Review: Even You

Impetuous isn’t a word you'd use to describe Claire Bramany. She’s capable, reliable and steady. But when a sudden accident in Brooklyn in 1995 takes the life of her lover, Jessie Friedman, Claire’s world implodes. And worse is soon to come: while cleaning out Jessie’s desk, Claire finds hidden journals that tell long-buried secrets of Jessie's western girlhood. Jessie’s account of Tulsa in 1944 appears innocent and playful, at first. Her days are peopled with quirky characters--especially Uncle Jimmy, an honest-to-goodness teenage hero just back from war-torn Europe. He’s Jessie's favorite, until the afternoon he makes his move on nine-year-old Jessie. No secrets, secrets kill: this was the promise Claire and Jessie had made to each other. But in twenty-three years together with Jessie, Claire never heard of any Uncle Jimmy, much less any sexual violation. Shattered, yearning to reconnect with the Jessie she thought she knew, Claire heads out to Oklahoma to find this man. Is the story in the journals true? If so, has Claire any other course than to avenge Jimmy's hideous crimes…?
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My Review:

I've been reading a lot of books lately with a similar theme to the one found in this book, when grief turns up new information and the ones left behind get latched on to an obsession in the name of finding closure. But even tough it's a similar theme, this book was poignantly written and a delight to read. I found myself drawn to Claire's character in her quest to come to terms with Jessie's death. It was pretty refreshing to read an LGBT+ book from the point of view of middle aged women. Not that points of view from teenagers aren't important, but there are so many of them. How are those who survived puberty supposed to relate to anyone older in books? While this book would make a fine addition to my shelf, I'm afraid it wouldn't be read too often. That said, I recommend borrowing it first or getting the cheaper kindle version before making your decision on the physical copy. My rating: 4.5

Book Review: Food of Oman

Featuring rustic Middle Eastern dishes infused with the flavors of East Africa, India, and Persia, "The Food of Oman "presents the delicious diversity of the tiny Arabian Sultanate through 100 recipes, lush photography, and stories from the people behind the food in an immersive introduction to a fascinating, little-known corner of the world. 

The recipes in "The Food of Oman" offer cooks a new world of flavors, techniques, and inspiration, while the lush photography and fascinating stories provide an introduction to the culture of a people whose adventurous palates and deep love of feeding and being fed gave rise to this unparalleled cuisine

Expected publication: 10/13/2015
Campell's website 
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My true passion is people. The conflicts and comforts of the table can transcend or exaggerate cultural differences and it's these connections and chasms that fascinate me as much as what's on the plate. 

My cookbook includes history, art, and stories from the people behind the complex dishes of Oman and much of my memoir focuses on the absence of food rather than the pleasures of the table. 

That said, a shared meal and a steaming cup of tea were my first point of connection with people different from myself, so I instinctually continue to approach the world food-first as I seek out authentic, human connections from Beirut to Hong Kong to Mexico City. The Middle East remains the place where I feel these connections most potently and the stories, perspectives, and voices of the people there are still the ones I enjoy sharing most.

Beyond writing about my own experiences, as an editor, I love cultivating new voices and helping writers tell their stories better. I'm especially excited by the challenges and rewards of working in a multinational setting and promoting diversity in the publishing industry. 

My Review:
Unlike a lot of reviewers I see, I haven't actually been to Oman. My roots lie in Bangladesh and truthfully, I've not even been there yet. But I love the culture and I love cooking. So I requested a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The forward, written by a colleague, gave us a view of Campell as a friend, and then her introduction gave us a view of her as a person, along with Oman's history and facts that add gravitas to the meaning of the recipes ahead. After all, if you know how recipes came to be, they somehow come out greater than just blindly throwing things together. Being already familiar with the spices used thanks to many Sunday cooking sessions with my dad, I didn't need to be in front of the dishes for my mouth to start watering. Campell includes recipes for all sorts of palates-- fish lovers, meat lovers, vegans*, Vegetarians, and these recipes, by nature, are all low fat or can be slightly tweaked to be low fat. Throughout the recipes, Campell includes pictures and passages of Omani culture.
Overall: Would I buy this for my shelves at home? In a heartbeat. Would I buy it for a friend? Definitely.
*many recipes call for ghee, which can be animal-based fat. This can be substituted by coconut oil.

My rating: 5/5

Book Review: Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase

This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….

Henry never believed his older sister, Alice’s, fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter—an odd but strangely attractive fellow—just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each other intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.

Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives.
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My Review:
Netgalley gave me this to review
Alice's brother, Henry, has never believed her tales about where she went when she disappeared. So Alice decided to do something about it. She sent him to Wonderland with only one piece of advice: "Mind the Mad Hatter."
Hatter, on the other hand, is imprisoned by the Red Queen. The only promise of keeping his head is delivering Henry (known as Boy Alice) to have his head off instead.

Mad About Hatter is a great throwback for lovers of the Wonderland series and variations of it. I get the feeling the emotional scenes were meant to be more emotional, but the light hearted lexicon of the book kind of glossed them over. What I did appreciate, though, was Hatter's self description of being just right out bisexual. Personally, I feel bisexuals don't have nearly enough representation in a publishing industry that is still largely of a black-and-white mentality.

Overall, this is a well written book with great characters and the overhanging question of What Will Happen To Henry that keeps you going and a romance that keeps you rooting for the adorable couple to be okay.

My rating: 4.7 (rounded to 5)