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The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King

February 22, 2019

chef's secret

Giovanni’s uncle, Bartolomeo Scappi, was a celebrity in Rome. He was the private chef to three popes and the author of a wildly popular cookbook. Now he is dead and Giovanni’s life is about to turn upside down. He had been his uncle’s apprentice for 11 years and had known the man as a father figure for all of his life. When Scappi’s will is read, everything is left to Giovanni, ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 16th century, Atria Books, historical fiction, Italy

Northern Lights by Raymond Strom

February 20, 2019

northern lights

Shane’s father has died, his uncle has kicked him out of the house, and he’s decided it’s time to find the mother who left him when he was ten. In the fall he’ll be going to college in Minneapolis, but armed with a postcard, one hundred dollars, and all his belongings in a backpack he heads to the Holm, Minnesota, the only address he has for his mother. In this rugged, rural ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: coming-of-age, debut, literary, Simon & Schuster

The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish

February 18, 2019

deeper the water

After their mother tries to hang herself, 14-year-old Mae and 16-year-old Edie are sent to live with their father, a man they have not seen since they were very small children. For Mae it is a dream come true. Her mother’s depression and obsessive behavior falls on her, meaning long nights driving around Louisiana swamps or following strangers home. Edie, though, wants to be ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: book clubs, coming-of-age, debut, family, literary

Death is Hard Work

February 15, 2019

death

Bolbol’s father has just died in Damascus. Before he did, he made one final request of his son—he wants to be buried in the family’s plot in his hometown. It’s two hours away and without thinking Bolbol agrees. It’s only as he’s contacting his sister, Fatima, and his brother, Hussein, that the enormity of his promise hits him. This is Syria, a country being destroyed by its ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: cultural, family, Farrar Straus Giroux, literary, Middle East

Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World

February 13, 2019

stoned

It's that time of year, when a girl's thoughts turn to love, or for the more practical among us: jewelry. Are you a bling-y type of gal? Do you love anything having to do with jewelry and gems, but not interested in a dry dissertation? Then you need to read Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World by Aja Raden. She’s a snarky, modern, smart-ass who takes a ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Non-fiction Tagged: history, jewelry

Sugar Run by Mesha Maren

February 11, 2019

sugar

Jodi has dealt with feeling unwanted and out of place for most of her life. As a little girl her parents decided she was best off being raised by her grandmother on a remote farm in the Appalachians of West Virginia. Later, as a teen she fell deeply in love with a woman who had a knack for playing poker and dangerous behavior. There’s passion, but the feeling is never quite ... Read More...

8 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: Algonquin Books, debut, literary, social issues, Southern life, women

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