The Welcome Home Diner - Peggy Lampman

The Welcome Home Diner

Hey! Thanks for reading my blog! Make sure you make it to the end of this post, because I'm giving away a copy of this book courtesy of TLC Book Tours!

Title: The Welcome Home Diner

Author: Peggy Lampman

Publication Date: 10/10/2017

Pages: 352

Genre: Chick Lit / Food / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 10/7/17

Summary: Two cousins start a diner in Detroit with the hopes of invigorating the local community and economy. They end up facing both internal and external obstacles on the way to their goal. 

What I Thought: This was a sweet little book. Even though Lampman deals with some heavy topics (gentrification, race, sex trafficking), she does so in a way that still feels friendly and relatable. Those issues are pieces of the puzzle but the book is not really about them. Rather, it's about relationships: family relationships, friendships, romantic relationships, workplace relationships, and community relationships. 

I always love when the theme of food is so closely intertwined with a plot. Here, it is inescapable, as the central location of the story is a diner and one of the main characters is the chef. Though I would not classify this as a food-centric book, there are wonderful descriptive morsels (no pun intended) throughout the story that will leave wishing the Welcome Home Diner was around the corner. Thankfully, Lampman does have some recipes in the back of the book if you find yourself craving one of those Heartbreaker cookies. 

Killing Wonder Woman - Tenaya T. J. Tison

Killing Wonder Woman

Hey! There's a giveaway at the bottom of this post! Make sure you read all the way through and enter for your chance to win!

Title: Killing Wonder Woman: Setting Weary Women Free to Win at Work and Soar in Faith

Author: Tenaya T. J. Tison

Publication Date: 3/13/17

Pages: 264

Genre: Chick Lit / Faith / Self-Help / Nonfiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 4/15/17

Summary: Tison encourages readers to conquer "Wonder Woman" also known as the unattainable ideal to which so many women find themselves striving. 

What I Thought: Book tours are great, but I especially love when I can tell the books came straight from the author. When I got this one, it seemed to have come from Tison's home address and she had written a personalized signature on the title page for me. Authors, my reviews are as impartial as I can make them, but that's a good way to leave a positive first impression of your book. 

On to the book itself...

Tison clearly is passionate about her subject matter. She has poured her heart out onto the page. Her enthusiasm for empowering women of faith radiates on every page. She has had a transformative experience and wants desperately to share it. That much is clear. 

Beyond the Label - Maureen Chiquet

Beyond the Label

Title: Beyond the Label: Women, Leadership, and Success on Our Own Terms

Author: Maureen Chiquet

Publication Date: 4/18/17 (That's today!)

Pages: 288

Genre: Memoir / Self-Help / Nonfiction

How I Found It: I'm on the TLC Book Tour

Date Completed: 4/9/17

Summary: Chiquet takes readers through her professional life, starting as a high school exchange student and through her years as global CEO of Chanel. Along the way, she weaves in some advice for women who looking to forge their own leadership path. 

What I Thought: I was very excited to join the tour for this book. I had not heard of Maureen Chiquet before, although I have certainly heard of Chanel. You may remember another TLC Book Tour I did a while back for a biography of the brand's founder, Coco Chanel. I looked forward to reading Chiquet's book for very different reasons. A book about women and leadership? It was no question for me.

I've been wrestling a lot more lately with my own professional goals and where I want my career to go. I thought I had it all figured out, but as my 30th birthday approaches, I'm rethinking some things and wondering if a reconfiguration may be ahead for me professionally. That being said, this book and the one I'm reviewing later in the month, Killing Wonder Woman, both came at a timely point for me. 

Under the Tuscan Sun - Frances Mayes

Under the Tuscan Sun

Title: Under the Tuscan Sun

Author: Frances Mayes

Publication Date: 1996

Pages: 304

Genre: Food / Memoir / Nonfiction

How I Found It: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. 

Date Completed: 3/26/17

Summary: In the early 90s, Frances Mayes and her now husband Ed bought an Italian villa in the Tuscan countryside. It had been empty for years and required immense amounts of work. This is the story of their summers in Italy, spent restoring the home and its gardens. 

What I Thought: When I saw the twentieth anniversary edition of the book being offered on the Blogging for Books website, I could not resist. Kevin and I are in the midst of planning a trip to Italy and this seemed like a delightful way to amp up my excitement for said journey. It worked perfectly.

Orphan Train - Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train

Title: Orphan Train

Author: Christina Baker Kline

Publication Date: 4/2/13

Pages: 278

Genre: Historical / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins generously sent me a copy.

Date Completed: 12/28/16

Summary: Molly is a seventeen-year-old under the charge of Maine's foster care system. In a bid to complete community service hours and avoid juvenile detention time, she volunteers to clean out the attic of a wealthy older woman. Along the way, she learns about the experience of Niamh ("Neev") Power, an Irish immigrant who finds herself orphaned and sent across the country in hopes of being placed with a new family.

What I Thought: I enjoyed this book. I burned through it in a couple of days over the Christmas holidays. While I don't always love historical fiction pieces, I found this one interesting and engaging. The modern storyline added in really kept me interested. I think if it had just been the story of Niamh/Vivian, I would have struggled more to stay engaged. However, the addition of Molly into the story and the foreknowledge of who Niamh became really helped me stay interested in the historical chapters.

The Fate of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

The Fate of the Tearling

Title: The Fate of the Tearling

Author: Erika Johansen

Publication Date: 11/29/16

Pages: 496

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins

Date Completed: 12/20/16

Summary: Having relinquished herself and her powerful sapphires to the Red Queen, Kelsea must now figure out how to save the Tearling - and maybe the world - from inside her prison cell. Her visions of pre-Crossing Lily have been replaced with visions of a young girl, Katie, born shortly after Crossing who also seems to have a big role to play in the fate of the new world. 

What I Thought: I have really enjoyed this series. Throughout, Johansen has impressed me with her bold approach and unique voice. She has written characters who are strong and broken and powerful and flawed. That takes skill. For me, the characters are easily her master stroke in this series. Here in the final book, the plot fell down for me a bit - not terribly, but noticeably. The characters, however, continued to keep me in awe and suspense to the very last page.

Let's start with the stuff I did not love about this last book. I want to get past that so I can rave more about the things I did like. I've always been a delayed gratification/bad news first kind of girl (with the notable seasonal exception of Christmas presents, which I mercilessly searched the house for hoping to ruin any surprises. Sorry, Mom.). So, here we go:

The Invasion of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

The Invasion of the Tearling

Title: The Invasion of the Tearling

Author: Erika Johansen

Publication Date: 6/9/15

Pages: 515

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction 

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins

Date Completed: 12/4/16

Summary: Kelsea has come into her role as Queen of the Tearling. Despite the impending invasion from the Mort army, she is rallying troops and making preparations among her people. However, her mind is pulling her away more and more frequently to visit the life of Lily, a woman from pre-crossing times. Kelsea must figure out the meaning of these visits as well as the visits from a mysterious man.

What I Thought: It has been a while since I have gotten excited about a series. So often, the first book is good enough, but I am either not compelled to continue the series or the sequels are letdowns. So far, that is not the case here. One book left to go, but I am optimistic.

This felt like a really well done middle book. There is enough independent story here to fuel the book on its own, but it clearly serves as a bridge between the beginning and the end of Kelsea's story. 

The Queen of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

The Queen of the Tearling

Title: The Queen of the Tearling

Author: Erika Johansen

Publication Date: 7/8/2014

Pages: 434

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins

Date Completed: 8/6/16

Summary: The future of our world looks a lot like our past - at least according to Johansen. Though the characters are clearly living in the future, the setting and culture of the story largely replicates the era of Arthurian legends, magic included. Young Kelsea, having been raised in hiding, finds herself Queen of the Tearling and facing a variety of personal and national threats with which she must deal.

What I Thought: I am so glad TLC offered me a chance to be on this tour. I had heard of it before and placed it on my TBR, so I jumped at the opportunity. I'll be reviewing all three books in the series this week, so make sure you come back on Wednesday and Friday to see what I have to say about the sequels.

Today, however, is all about book one. 

I have heard some people compare this to George R. R. Martin's popular A Song of Ice and Fire series - better known as Game of Thrones. Others have compared Queen Kelsea, protagonist, to my beloved Katniss Everdeeen. I can see some thin parallels with both. I think, though, that trying to lump it in with something else is a discredit to Johansen's work. I found it delightfully original and fresh. 

There are a number of familiar premises - a 'regular' teenager finds herself suddenly in a unique position of power, something has happened to our world and this is a distant future, power struggles plus magic equals a dangerous situation...we know all of these, right? Somehow, when Johansen brings them together, they feel new and different. None of the tropes felt stale to me. I was actively engaged and interested in Kelsea's fate. 

Grape, Olive, Pig - Matt Goulding

Grape, Olive, Pig

Title: Grape, Olive, Pig: Deep Travels Through Spain's Food Culture

Author: Matt Goulding

Publication Date: 11/15/16

Pages: 368

Genre: Food / Nonfiction

How I Found It: I got a copy courtesy of Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours.

Date Completed: 11/26/16

Summary: Goulding takes readers on another sumptuous journey, this time all across Spain.

What I Thought: Remember a couple months ago when I read and reviewed Rice, Noodle, Fish? You may recall how I gushed over Goulding's rich descriptions of both Japanese food and culture. After that delightful experience, you can imagine how I was to read this second installation in the Roads and Kingdoms series.

Thankfully, TLC Book Tours had be covered on that front. They and Harper Collins graciously provided me an advance copy of the book to read and review. My thoughts?

Goulding's prose is as on point as ever. The magic web he weaves over Spain is enchanting and tantalizing. It may make you want to scrap planning your trip to Italy and reroute to the Spanish countryside instead....like it did for me. I think we're still going to Italy...at least until I get my husband to read the book. 

Hidden Figures - Margot Lee Shetterly

Hidden Figures

Title: Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race

Author: Margot Lee Shetterly

Publication Date: 9/6/16

Pages: 368

Genre: Historical / Nonfiction

How I Found It: I received a copy from Harper Collins and TLC Books Tours.

Date Completed: 9/6/16

Summary: Starting during WWII, a group of black women worked in Hampton, Virginia as computers. They ran the most important numbers, doing the leg work that took our pilots and astronauts to new heights.

What I Thought: Along with most Americans, I had never heard anything about these women. The stories history has nearly forgotten never cease to amaze me. 

Shetterly picked up this story because she grew up in Hampton. She knew some of these women. She saw them in the community and talked to them at church. As an adult, she began to realize the immensity of what they did. Not only did these women do important work of national security and advancement, they did so in a time when both being a woman and being black meant being relegated to second class status. They defied expectations and fought for equality with hard work and determination. Despite segregated work spaces, lower pay, and lesser professional titles, they were doing something amazing.

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere

Title: Neverwhere

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publication Date: 9/16/96

Pages: 464

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 6/6/16

Summary: Richard Mayhew discovers the world of London Below after stopping to help a young girl in need on the street. He had no idea what he was getting into, but now he can't get back out. 

What I Thought: I know people who have both loved and hated this book. Passionately. In either direction. Now having read it, I totally get it. If magical underworlds and quirky characters are not your things, then you should probably take a pass on this one. However, if Gaiman's original goal of writing a Narnia-like story for adults appeals to you, I imagine you'll be intrigued by Neverwhere.

For me, personally, I landed in the middle. There were things I liked and things I didn't. I loved seeing Gaiman's imagination at work; the colorful cast of characters and the eccentric settings made for an exciting new mental image at every turn. I can only imagine the visual feast a film adaptation would be. Apparently it started as a British mini-series, so maybe I'll need to check that out. The feast for the imagination kept me plenty satiated, which is good since I didn't love the plot. 

All Stories Are Love Stories - Elizabeth Percer

All Stories are Love Stories

Title: All Stories Are Love Stories

Author: Elizabeth Percer

Publication Date: 3/22/16

Pages: 368

Genre: Literary Fiction / Romance / Fiction 

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 3/24/16

Summary: Max, Vashti, and Gene all find their lives at risk when the big one finally hits San Fransisco. In the midst of the physical catastrophes and the upheaval, they seek to understand and affirm the relationships that shape them.

What I Thought: Percer's writing is unexpectedly beautiful. I never going into a book hoping for mediocrity, but it so often is there. To find, instead, such a lovely command of words and expression is always a delightful surprise.

Set against the backdrop of a massive earthquake and the ensuing fire, Percer offers up three equally engaging, equally broken protagonists. They are so different, yet so similar in their desires. Each wants happiness and reconciliation in their most cherished relationship, even though it may seem impossible for some. The details of these love stories are revealed little by little. The climax of the plot comes in tandem with the climax of understanding for the reader. For me, this parallelism played beautifully. 

The Ramblers - Aidan Donnelley Rowley

The Ramblers

Title: The Ramblers

Author: Aidan Donnelley Rowley

Publication Date: 2/9/16

Pages: 400

Genre: Literary Fiction / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 2/10/16

Summary: Three New Yorkers struggle to find their place in the city, their friendships, their families, their futures. 

What I Thought: Sometimes I really do not enjoy contemporary fiction. Sometimes it feels like writing without a purpose, just a story that needed to get out of a writer's head but had nowhere to go and nothing of substance to say. Then, sometimes, there are contemporary works of fiction that feel crafted with love and emotion and the struggles of an author's own life. They feel important; if not in a grand literary sense, then in a deeply personal sense, as though the author has bared a portion of his or her soul on the page. For me, The Ramblers thankfully fell in the latter category.

The Golden Son - Shilpi Somaya Gowda

The Golden Son

Title: The Golden Son

Author: Shilpi Somaya Gowda

Publication Date: 10/20/15

Pages: 352

Genre: Literary Fiction / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 1/25/16

Summary: Anil leaves his home and family in India to pursue medical training in Texas. The shift of culture and the enduring weight of dual responsibilities create internal tension for him. Back home, Leena faces an arranged marriage and the realized fears that it may not turn out as she had dreamed. 

What I Thought: I loved the depiction of family in this novel. It is not portrayed as perfect or the ultimate happiness in life, but its value and impact is clear. Neither protagonist feels settle without the approval of or a strong connection to their family. Though the families can create tension or stressors, they are ultimately the support systems in times of heartache or decision making. 

The Restaurant Critic's Wife - Elizabeth LaBan

The Restaurant Critic's Wife

There's a giveaway at the bottom of this post! Don't miss your chance to win a copy of The Restaurant Critic's Wife!

Title: The Restaurant Critic's Wife

Author: Elizabeth LaBan

Publication Date: 1/5/16

Pages: 306

Genre: Chick Lit / Food / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 1/5/16

Summary: After moving to a new city for her husband's career as a food critic, Lila feels increasingly isolated as a young wife and mother. Her husband seems distant and she begins to question the choices she has made to reach this point.

What I Thought: I enjoyed this book. It felt different than a lot of what I read. The fact that I qualified it as "chick lit" above should make that much clear. Had the protagonist's husband had any other career, I likely would have passed this one over when TLC offered me the chance to read and review it. However, as always, I succumbed to the pull of foodie fiction.

I loved how LaBan, who is married to a restaurant critic in real life, started each chapter with a "review" written by Lila's husband Sam. It lent an air of authenticity to the book, as well as hinting at the mood and events of the subsequent chapter.

The book follows the family after their move to Philadelphia from New Orleans, where Lila had also enjoyed a thriving career. Now, in a new city with two children and no friends, Sam wants Lila to stay under the radar to avoid exposing his identity in the food world. She feels increasingly isolated and trapped at home with her two small children, no one with whom she can talk openly, and a husband completely distracted by his work.

All the Stars in the Heavens - Adriana Trigiani

All the Stars in the Heavens

This week, I'm partnering with TLC Book Tours to bring you a new book every day! They span a wide range of genre, so make sure to check back each day for a new review; you're bound to find something you'll enjoy.

Title: All the Stars in the Heavens

Author: Adriana Trigiani

Publication Date: 10/13/15

Pages: 464

Genre: Historical / Romance/ Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 10/25/15

Summary: In the Golden Age of Hollywood, "luster, drama, power, and secrets...thrive in the studio system." Trigiani takes real stars from the era and adds to and invents the details of their lives. She paints Loretta Young and Clark Gable as star-crossed lovers and supports them with a colorful cast of family and friends.

What I Thought: As someone who spends admittedly too much time reading celebrity gossip, it's easy to see why this book appealed to me. Hollywood stories of love and scandal are abundant, yet I know little about the stars of Hollywood's early days. When I started the book, I did not realize that Trigiani had used real personalities upon which to base her novel. That aspect certainly made the book more intriguing and, in a way, reminded me a little of how Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan fictionalized the love story of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their recent novel, The Royal We. That book has easily been one of my favorites this year, so I had high hopes for Trigiani's work as well.

The Indifferent Stars Above - Daniel James Brown

The Indifferent Stars Above

This week, I'm partnering with TLC Book Tours to bring you a new book every day! They span a wide range of genre, so make sure to check back each day for a new review; you're bound to find something you'll enjoy.

Title: The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party

Author: Daniel James Brown

Publication Date: 4/28/09

Pages: 352

Genre: Historical / Nonfiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 10/5/15

Summary: Brown follows the story of the infamous Donner party through his engaging narrative nonfiction style. 

What I Thought: As most people in America, I had a vague knowledge of the Donner party. "They ate each other to survive winter in the mountains, right?" Yeah, that's pretty much what it boils down to (no pun intended), but Brown takes this story far beyond its historical hook. Brown explores the lives and personalities of the people who were part of the doomed party traveling west to California and, more than anything, he looks at the chain of events that led them to their fateful decision. 

Brown focuses specifically on young newlywed Sarah Graves and her family. Sarah and her brand new husband decided to make the trek along with her parents and siblings, all hoping to start a new life together in the prosperous west. Focusing on Sarah specifically gave the book a lovely emotional base. It's easy to identify with Sarah and her young heart full of love and hope as she sets out on the journey. It makes the end result that much more tragic and impactful. 

Food Whore - Jessica Tom

Food Whore

This week, I'm partnering with TLC Book Tours to bring you a new book every day! They span a wide range of genre, so make sure to check back each day for a new review; you're bound to find something you'll enjoy.

Title: Food Whore: A Novel of Dining and Deceit 

Author: Jessica Tom

Publication Date: 10/27/15

Pages: 352

Genre: Food / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 11/1/15

Summary: New to NYC, Tia is hoping for a graduate internship with her idol, food writer Helen Lansky. Instead, she finds herself working the coat check at a prominent Manhattan restaurant and being pulled ever deeper into a world of secrets she had never anticipated. Designer clothes, fancy meals, and professional connections all dangle before her, so long as she stays quiet about her real work.

What I Thought: First and foremost, let's address that title. Despite the suggestive name of the book, Tia does not prostitute herself - at least not in the traditional sense. The book's back cover defines a "food whore" as someone who would do anything for food. Tom seems to placing Tia in that category, although I would mount a strong argument that Tia's morally questionable actions are driven by professional ambition, not her love of food. While Tia does not offer up her body for prestige and power, she does basically sell her loyalty, her trustworthiness, her relationships, and, in many ways, her true identity. 

Mendocino Fire - Elizabeth Tallent

Mendocino Fire

This week, I'm partnering with TLC Book Tours to bring you a new book every day! They span a wide range of genre, so make sure to check back each day for a new review; you're bound to find something you'll enjoy.

Title: Mendocino Fire

Author: Elizabeth Tallent

Publication Date: 10/20/15

Pages: 272

Genre: Short Stories / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 10/7/15

Summary: A collection of short stories.

What I Thought: As I mentioned recently, short story anthologies have occupied a tenuous ground for me for many years. Lately, though, I have been willing to give them more of a shot and have been trying to realign my thinking about short stories.

Tallent's collection reminded me of the beauty of writing and the skill needed to capture characters without the benefit of hundreds of pages of dialogue and decisions. Her writing is absolutely beautiful, if a bit mired down at times by the theoretical. There isn't a lot of action, but this isn't that type of book. To truly enjoy Tallent's writing, you have to be willing to devote some of yourself to it. This is one of those books where you get back as much as you are willing to put in. Spend the time and energy truly absorbing her words, and you will find them rich and rewarding. Try to skim through for the action and the high points and you'll be left wanting. I can admit to using both, depending on the day I picked up the book. Experiencing such satisfaction on the days I gave the book my full attention makes me want to go back and read the stories which did not receive the same my first time through.

After Alice - Gregory Maguire

After Alice

This week, I'm partnering with TLC Book Tours to bring you a new book every day! They span a wide range of genre, so make sure to check back each day for a new review; you're bound to find something you'll enjoy.

Title: After Alice

Author: Gregory Maguire

Publication Date: 10/27/15

Pages: 288

Genre: Fantasy / Fiction

How I Found It: TLC Book Tours

Date Completed: 10/16/15

Summary: In his now well-known style, Maguire takes a classic tale and approaches it from a completely fresh angle. Timed neatly with the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll's classic tale, Maguire sends some new children down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass after Alice, while also capturing the experiences of those above ground who are searching for the missing adventurers. 

What I Thought: When TLC offered me the chance to read Maguire's latest work, I knew I wanted in. I actually haven't read much of his catalog; he has an extensive one. I have only read Wicked - you know, that book that was turned into a hugely successful, Tony-winning musical? I enjoyed the book and I absolutely adore the musical, so I figured another venture into Maguire's unique perspective on classic stories would be fun.

I should have realized right out of the gate that reading Lewis Carroll's classic books Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass first would have helped immensely. It's hard to appreciate Maguire's work fully if you are unfamiliar with the source material. It's like watching an SNL skit without being up on recent pop culture or news. I, of course, am vaguely familiar with Carroll's work. I know the general story of Alice in Wonderland; I have, after all, seen the Disney adaptation. That, however, is pretty much where my knowledge ends. I have not read the books and I have no clue what happens in Through the Looking Glass, other than a return trip to Wonderland (I think).