Mastering the Art of French Murder

Mastering the Art of French Murder (Book 1 American in Paris series) by Colleen Cambridge   283 pages

When I first read the title of this new mystery series, I swear I could hear Julia Child’s real-life voice. I had no idea that the kitchen magician herself was going to be a secondary character in this new series. I was so delighted!

Set in the Paris of 1949, Tabitha Knight has come to the City of Lights from Detroit to find herself. She’s twenty-nine years old, recently broken her four-year engagement to Henry and has lost her job at the Willow Run Bomber Plant where she helped to build B-24 Liberator planes. She was a real Rosie the Riveter! And on top of all the that, the woman---her grandmother-- who helped raise her has died. She is lost and decides to go spend some time with her grandfather, who still lives in Pari with his best friend.

Tabitha made friends with Julia, who happens to live across the street and down the block. They became fast friends although Tabitha can barely boil an egg. Julia’s sister, Dort lives with the Childs’. Dort works for the American Club Theater, which performs at Theater Monceau. The cast and crew are often at Julia’s apartment after shows or rehearsals.

After one such evening, the body of one of the other theater employees, Therese, turns up brutally murdered----in the basement of the Childs’ apartment building. Tabitha was the last person to see her alive and is immediately a suspect.

Concerned that she will be arrested and impatient with police procedures, Tabitha begins her own investigation. And the bodies begin to pile up. I was surprised by so many bodies that dot the pages.

This first book in the series is simultaneously funny and creepy. The opening scene about the mayonnaise was a delight! I could hear Julia’s real-life voice booming from the pages. I also liked that she was the sidekick and not the main character. I did wonder if there were some gay undertones between Tabitha’s grandfather and his best friend, Oncle Rafe (Tabitha’s honorary uncle), but it doesn’t matter.

The descriptions of the food and wine were spot-on…not too much nor too little. I was salivating through the entire book. However, there is only one thing, no two things, missing: The recipes for the perfect roasted chicken and mayonnaise! “Mastering the Art of French Murder” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Publishing date April 2023

The Love Goddess' Cooking School

The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate   338 pages

When Holly Maguire inherits her grandmother's business and cooking school, she knows she has a lot to learn. After all, her grandmother, Camilla, was famous for her Italian cooking . . . and for her ability to tell fortunes and save marriages. Holly knows she needs to learn how to master Camilla's recipes, especially if she's going to take over Camilla's cooking school students, as well. As for telling fortunes? Forget about that.

But, of course, you can guess that the fortune-telling works its way into the story. The four students who sign up for Holly's cooking lessons are all looking for more than how to make Italian dishes. As the class gathers each week, friendships and romances blossom. This isn't the kind of book I read all the time, but sometimes it's nice to have a . . . nice story. The story is set on an island in Maine, which I find appealing. And, the story, while a little predictable at times, was a nice palate cleanser from the other books I've been reading lately.

BELATED JULY POST: The Café by the Sea

Please note: Shirley emailed me this post and I failed to get it posted before the end of July. So, it's posted in August but goes towards our JULY totals. - Jen

The Café by the Sea by Jenny Colgan      Audiobook: 10 hrs, 8 mins       Hardback Book:  416 pages               

Another charming book by Jenny Colgan.    I have become a big fan of her work.    Being entranced with Scotland it is like visiting home right along with the lead character in the book, though, she actually is from the area, and I have only harbored a homesickness for a place I’ve never been.   The richness of the characters and places the story introduces the reader to are so vibrant.    And this gives me another location to add to my list of something I’d like to do someday – see the Northern Lights from the Western Highlands of Scotland.    Jenny Colgan always shares lovely things about the locations mentioned in her writings.   This time she talked about how one can see the Northern lights from there.   I had no idea.   I’m thinking Northern Canada and Alaska, Iceland, Finland, Norway not realizing, hey, the Vikings settled in Scotland, too and Scotland is on the longitude and latitude with those northern lands of the Danes and Finns, etc.     Another delightful read for those who enjoy comedy with their romance, exotic settings and deep rooted family and friendship ties.      Another feel good piece by the author.     She delivers dreams of the past and stories of Silkies which the lead character in the story is said to be descended from and arguments could be made for that.     Modern themes in a medieval looking land and she even includes recipes for some of the mouth watering food being prepared throughout the story.    Another great book by Jenny Colgan.    

The Celebration

The Celebration by Wanda E. Brunstetter                Audio Book: 12 hours, 3 mins      Paperback Book: 320 pages               

I enjoy reading stories about the Amish and Wanda E. Brunstetter never disappoints.   A sweet story about an Amish couple who are fostering two children whose parents were killed in a car wreck and of whom no other living relatives are known.   Interesting concept because I never considered that Amish would ever adopt “English,” children but they do in this book.     Lyle and Heidi Troyer are the Amish couple and as a way of introducing the two foster children to other local children, Heidi decides to teach a cooking class for kids.    It is a fun class but surprising, many parents stay to take the class with their kids instead of just dropping the kids off at the weekly activity.    There are so many side stories with all the families involved and the interactions of the students in the class (think the Breakfast Club for the under 12 set), adventures ensue, friendships and frenemies form, romance blossoms in the adult set, heartbreak, heartmending, prayer, tragedy and joy, kids and animals.    The book will keep you interested all the way to the end and is an enjoyable read.    I found out this is book 3 in the Cooking Class series so I will likely check out the other titles, too, because Brunstetter’s writing is calming and comforting kind of like snuggling up in a patchwork quilt on a rainy day with a mug of hot chocolate.   Very pleasing.    I would recommend Brunstetter’s books to anyone who enjoys reading/learning about the Amish lifestyle,  and anyone who wants an easy enjoyable read when you want something pleasant to fill your thoughts and turn on that projector in your head to carry you away with the story without a lot of heavy fare to contend with.   Good book

The Art of French Kissing

The Art of French Kissing by Brianna R. Shrum     256 pages

Seventeen-year-old Carter Lane has wanted to be a chef since she was old enough to ignore her mom's warnings to stay away from the hot stove. And now she has the chance of a lifetime: a prestigious scholarship competition in Savannah, where students compete all summer in Chopped style challenges for a full-ride to one of the best culinary schools in the country. The only impossible challenge ingredient in her basket: Reid Yamada.

After Reid, her cute but unbearably cocky opponent, goes out of his way to screw her over on day one, Carter vows revenge, and soon they're involved in a full-fledged culinary war. Just as the tension between them reaches its boiling point, Carter and Reid are forced to work together if they want to win, and Carter begins to wonder if Reid's constant presence in her brain is about more than rivalry. And if maybe her desire to smack his mouth doesn't necessarily cancel out her desire to kiss it.

I wanted to love this book, but instead I just enjoyed it for what is: a easy YA romance with a cooking competition thrown into the mix. Why didn't I love it? Well, for starters - some serious sabotage happens, and not the kind that can be laughed off as no big deal. No, it's the kind where it would be really inexcusable if the judges knew that it happened: tripping some one on purpose? Going into their room, going into their phone without their permission? No bueno. And it felt really unbalanced - the kind of sabotage that Reid did verses what Carter did are totally disproportionate. Carter crossed all the lines. I was not okay with what she did.

But the biggest issue I had was the romance between Reid and Carter. There is a strong animosity between them that is somehow crossed over into romantic tension/feelings. I don't buy it. I don't think the author did enough to show that switch between rivalry to camaraderie. And what I find even more problematic is that they cannot go long without blowing up at each other. Almost every encounter between them ends in an argument. And to top it all off - they sleep with each other. After only knowing each other for a few weeks, and starting off sabotaging each other. They decide to have sex. And the very next day, what happens? They blow up again. I just don't see how this is a good message for any teen. 

The author does attempt to be contemporary with her inclusion of comments about "privileged white girl problems," and the inclusion of a diverse cast (not just ethnicity, but also sexual orientation - Reid himself being what he calls "queer" and admitting to having dated a non-binary person). So I appreciate that this book is attempting to exist in a more current environment of inclusion, even if it did feel clunky and trying to hard on that score (a bit like name-dropping). 

Another issue - though I wouldn't call it a deal breaking one - was the writing style. For some reason, I felt the author's way of writing Carter's narrative, her speech, and even the speech of other characters seemed very weird and staccato. Lots of periods and half-sentences, such as "I'm really. Like mad at him." It was a bit difficult to read and it happened a lot. Most of the characters did this at some point, so it took a way, a bit, from the distinction of their voices.

Character-wise, it was a mixed bag. Carter was really hard to like at points, but other times she was relatable. I would be agreeing with her one minute, but within moments I would be shaking my head and completely hate her. It made me feel like the author didn't quite know how to write a character that is supposed to be the one you root for, but also one that would do things that were really despicable, just because it was the whole crux of the story and have it be believable. I still half-hate Carter after everything. And Reid was all over the place as well. At times, I couldn't understand why he'd be willing to put up with everything Carder does and still like her (and by the end, even love her!). Though his decision to sabotage her seems a bit weird, considering he otherwise seems like a likable guy, gives me the feeling that the "assholery" (as the author puts it) exhibited by both of them is purely for plot and doesn't really seem to be the nature of their characters outside of that. All other characters are really just props for the story and aren't really fleshed out, most of them don't even have names.

Overall, I would say I liked reading this story, but I would be hard-pressed to recommend it to anyone unless I knew they were into YA romance stories. This book has a very specific audience and does not really do much to attract outside of that, in my opinion.

Trap Kitchen

Trap Kitchen: Bangin’ Recipes From Compton by Malachi Jenkins, Roberto Smith and Marisa Mendez             Audio Book: 51 minutes    Paperback Book:  120 pages        

Malachi Jenkins and his friend since childhood Roberto Smith grew up in rival gangs but remained friends.    Malachi learned to cook at the age of 7 years old asking his mother to show him how to cook breakfast, then getting more adventurous through middle-school with recipes that entailed more ingredients, more work and more praise for his culinary skills.   Malachi went through some hard times during his highschool years and later did a few stretches of time incarcerated.   He got back into cooking when he got out just a bit for family and friends, then people started offering to pay him to cook different stuff for them, word got out and even celebrities started hitting him up on Instagram to cook for them.   He and his partner Roberto saw that this could turn into a money making venture so they began cooking together out of Malachi’s house then doing a pop-up restaurant.  Snoop, Kanye and Kim, and others spread the word to their celebrity friends and the two friends’ business turned into a catering business as well.   Their popularity has continued to increase and oh my gosh when you hear or see the recipes he discusses in the book, let me tell you, I am salivating just thinking of it.   Mmmm, mmmm, mmmmm.    Makes me wish I lived near enough to go get some.   O.K. he does give their recipes and theoretically I could cook these delectable food dreams myself, and likely will eventually, right now I just fantasizing about walking up and picking up some carryout.  If only!      This book is excellent.    It is a feast for your mind as well as your body.   Learning how a young man came up and created his own dream and made it come true along with his best friend.    Congratulations to both men.     Live the dream and all that comes with it gentlemen, you deserve it.   One warning to would be readers,  he is  very real and genuine and speaks the truth straight out of Compton, so, if the reader might be offended by curse words, just make that scrunchy face and keep reading or listening because it will be so worth it to hear his story and check out his divine recipes.   Man, is it lunchtime, yet?    

500 Treasured Country Recipes from Martha Storey and Friends

500 Treasured Country Recipes from Martha Storey and Friends: Mouthwatering, Time-Honored, Tried and True, Handed- Down, Soul Satisfying Dishes by Martha Storey          E-Book  544 pages

WOW!   I was totally blown away by this all encompassing, comprehensive book that I thought was a cool sounding cookbook but it is so much more than that.   Think Martha Stewart know-how on steroids.   It is like a home economics class, with a country hands on do-it yourself course with a cooking in the kitchen with your grandmother course all rolled into one.   This book truly earns the description – amazing.    Not only are the recipes you will find here Iron Chef quality, but, you will also learn how to scale and carve fish, prepare wild game meats, make beer, wine, how to bake bread from the yeast up, omgosh!    So much information here and finally a cookbook that explains not just every cooking term a person will encounter, but, every implement you might possibly use in a lifetime of cooking, not just the normal utensils but from normal to Chef, Gordon Ramsay cooking accoutrements.    It teaches you step-by-step how to set up and plant your own garden, spring, summer, fall and holds your hand and walks you through making homemade pickles, even your own green products for self or gifting from making your own counter and cabinet cleansers to scented essential oil gifts to give.   Also food gifts, how to make your own jellies, ciders, ad infinitum to crafting gifts, soaps, votives, etc. decorative crafts creating your own beautiful wreaths from simple grapevines wound together with shorter left over pieces to use as decorative rings.    It is a cornucopia for all things home.   I was salivating so over the recipes, let me tell you my stomach started to growl and I wasn’t even hungry!   They just sound so good you can picture the resulting phenomenal meal you can put together and wish you had immediately in front of you so you could dig in.    I like to check out cook books, and over the years my staples were Good Housekeeping which was given to me by a dear friend many years ago and of Betty Crocker who has been the go to for generations but, Sorry GH and BC – this Cookbook Course covers everything including how to sew your own tote bag!     Everyone should own this book – it is something everyone who enjoys cooking, crafting, urban gardening on a large scale (backyard) or small scale (herbs in pots in your windowsill) creating/inventing should own.    I cannot recommend this book highly enough it is truly AWESOME in the utmost definition of that word.    I can see why there are so many of Martha’s Friends involved because each section of the book is so deeply instructive that everyone bringing their passion and specialty to the table or to the editor so to speak, makes this a goldmine of quality information on so many topics that the title, while absolutely true still doesn’t mention everything you will learn from this gem of a book.     After this read you will feel you’ve had a semester at Harvard.  I’m not kidding!

The Hundred-Foot Journey

The Hundred-Foot Journey  by Richard Morais   245 pages

Born above his grandfather's modest restaurant in Mumbai, Hassan Haji first experienced life through intoxicating whiffs of spicy fish curry, trips to the local markets, and gourmet outings with his mother. But when tragedy strikes, the Hajis leave India and embark on a journey around the world, eventually opening an Indian restaurant in a small town in the French Alps. The family takes the village by storm, provoking the ire of their neighbor, Madame Mallory, the proprietress of an esteemed French relais. Only after waging culinary war with the immigrant family does Madame Mallory finally agree to mentor young Hassan, leading him to Paris and a host of new adventures.

This is a story that will appeal to a gourmand given the incredible descriptions of the exotic ingredients and culinary processes and exotic ingredients involved in the selection and preparation of meals from common Indian fare to elaborate French cuisine. Although I am not a vegetarian, I am squeamish when it comes to raw meat – the sight, the smell, the feel, oh my! –the hunting, slaughtering, and preparation details were so vivid as to make me uncomfortable.

Although food figures prominently in the story, it is ultimately the story of the personal and professional journey of Hassan as he navigates the culinary world, a journey that returns him back to where he began, having learned the moral that no one makes the journey through life alone. The author could have explored this concept more thoroughly, but fails to do so. In spite of the vivid details throughout the story, the conclusion feels hurried and confused – an unfortunate ending to an otherwise engaging read.

Posted By:   Regina C.

Candy Aisle Crafts

Candy Aisle Crafts by Jodi Levine           Paperback:  112 pages    

Who knew you could do so many things with gummy candy and marshmallows!   Lollipops, cupcakes, cute little animal creations, cookies, cake decorations, hot chocolate monogramming, even edible jewelry!   I read this book from cover to cover.   I especially like how she teaches you how to make bowls from peppermint candies and the adorable animals, candle holders and cereal houses this gal comes up with are inspiring they make you want to let your own creative juices start flowing and whipping out your own unique goodies.    Candy stained glass windows are awesome looking and extremely easy to make.    I will never look at a gumdrop without thinking of at least 10 things I could use it to make.     Well done, Jodi Levine, thanks for the great ideas!

Stars So Sweet

Stars So Sweet by Tara Dairman, 278 pages

In the third and final book in the All Four Stars series Gladys is beginning seventh grade in a new school.  Although some of her friends will be there, she is nervous about meeting new people and learning a new routine.  Gladys is also prepared to tell her parents about her freelance job as a restaurant critic but is sidetracked when her aunt, Lydia, surprises her with a visit.  Gladys doesn't know what to do when her editor wants to meet face-to-face.  She is also overwhelmed with requests for help with bake sales for several school clubs.  Despite all of her troubles, Gladys finds that she's enjoying school, her aunt's company, the restaurant reviews and even the bake sales.  If she can figure out how to handle some of the problems, Gladys just might have a great year.  I really loved this series.  It's a little sweet but some parts are hilarious and Gladys is easy to root for.  This is a good pick for elementary and middle school kids who like realistic fiction.

The Stars Of Summer

The Stars Of Summer by Tara Dairman, 327 pages

The sequel to “All Four Stars” starts on Gladys’s birthday, at a restaurant that she is reviewing, of course.  She’s excited for the start of summer, looking forward to cooking and reviewing, until one of her presents is a summer spent at camp.  She is sure that her summer is ruined and even more certain of it when she receives an email from her editor asking her to find the city’s best hot dog.  Initially, camp turns out to be both better and worse that Gladys expected and searching the city for hot dogs turns out to be easier than Gladys thought.  Overall, Gladys’s summer is nothing like she hoped it would be but it may have been even better than she could have dreamed.  I love this series and am excited for the third book.  This is for kids who enjoy food and like realistic fiction.

Just Add Magic

Just Add Magic by Cindy Callaghan, 229 pages

Kelly and her friends, Darbie and Hannah, find a book full of recipes that seem to be magic, recipes for making someone fall in love or to cause strife.  Kelly, who is an aspiring chef, decides that it is time to do something she has talked about for years: start a cooking club.  She and her friends begin to try to some of the recipes and surprisingly, they work!  They make a cobbler designed to silence someone.  Kelly’s younger brother and her dad eat it and the next day both of them have lost their voices.  They try more recipes that also seem to work but then bad things start to happen to the girls.  They have to figure out how to fix things, fast.  This was a fun read for elementary school kids who like magical realism.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
312 Pages


"Kitchens of the Great Midwest, about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country's most coveted dinner reservation, is the summer's most hotly-anticipated debut.

When Lars Thorvald's wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine--and a dashing sommelier--he's left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He's determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter--starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva's journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that's a testament to her spirit and resilience."   

This is a book for people fond of the cooking channels as well as the theory of six degrees of separation.  New characters are introduced throughout the book and you wonder how they interact with one another and Eva. 

All Four Stars

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman, 273 pages

This may have been one of my favorite books of this year.  Gladys is eleven and the thing she loves most in the world is to cook.  Unfortunately, her parents do not support her interest so Gladys has been cooking on the sly for the past few years.  Even more unfortunately, they come home early at the exact moment that she has a small problem with her crème brulee and the curtains catch on fire.  Gladys's parents ban her from all cooking related things for six months.  Gladys's new teacher gives them an assignment to write about what they want to in the future.  With a little prodding, Gladys writes an essay about wanting to be a odd critic for the most prestigious newspaper in the country.  Her essay is chosen to be sent to that exact newspaper for their essay competition.  The results are hilarious and fabulous.  Combined with some of Gladys's reviews other various meals (mostly from her parent's kitchen), I laughed out loud more than once.  For kids who like realistic and humorous fiction, this is a must-read.

Mary Poppins In The Kitchen

Mary Poppins In The Kitchen by P.L. Travers, 79 pages

This is a combination cookbook and story.  Mr. and Mrs. Banks have planned a trip.  Ellen is already away because she is ill and Mrs. Brill has received a telegram that she must go help her niece whose children are sick with the measles.  Mary Poppins, of course, is more than capable in the kitchen and off the Banks go leaving Mary Poppins and he children to manage.   They cook something different every day, usually with the help of someone we've met in a previous book, like Mrs. Corry and her daughters and Admiral Boom.  At the end of the book are all of the recipes of everything they made and a few things they didn't.  It's cute but probably only something that fans of Mary Poppins would enjoy.

The Little Paris Bookshop

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George   392 pages

The Little Paris Bookshop is quite an unusual bookstore with an equally unusual proprietor. Monsieur Jean Perdu’s bookstore is floating barge along the Seine. Perdu considers himself a literary apothecary.. He can prescribe just the write book to meets the needs of the buyer.

However, there is one person Perdu cannot ease the symptoms of what ails him, no matter what book he selects. That person is himself. He is heartbroken. Twenty-one years ago, his true love, Manon, left him. She sent a letter which he has never opened because he is sure it contains usual lines: “it’s not you, it’s me;” “I’m not ready for the love you have to give;” yada, yada, yada.

But now things are changing in his apartment building. A new tenet has arrived with only the clothes in her back. The building manager asks all the residents for a donation. Perdu has been assigned a table.

Yes he has a table, but that means entering the lavender room he shared with Manon, which has been sealed shut for twenty-one years. Torn between his reluctance to enter the room and his desire to help his new neighbor, Catherine, he wills himself to enter and takes the table across the hall.

Catherine find Manon’s letter and returns it. Faced with its actual presence again, Perdue opens it. Manon’s words shock him to his core; what she says and requests is nothing, nothing, like he imagined.

Perdue decides to go looking for Manon to learn for himself if her words were true. He casts off the lines of his barge and begins the long trek south to Manon’s home. He is joined by his two cats, and at the last second, by another apartment-building neighbor, Max, who is looking to escape his sudden fame and complete writer’s block.

The story of the journey takes up roughly two-thirds of the book. I didn’t care for the slapstick antics that ensued. It didn’t help that an Italian chef, also looking for a long-lost love, joined the merry cast. The slapstick got in the way of the story for me, making the story seem somewhat unbelievable. I also felt lost with all the names of the villages that the characters traveled through, even though the author supplied one. All in all, I really like the first and last fourths of the story. The characters evoked empathy in these sections.

Double Fudge Brownie Murder

Double Fudge Brownie Murder by Joanne Fluke, 356 pages

The newest book in the series has Hannah Swenson still waiting to go to trial for the vehicular homicide that took place in the previous book.  Hannah is worried about the upcoming trial but the beginning of the book is occupied with Hannah’s mother’s wedding.  Hannah and her sisters have plotted with the groom to get them to Vegas for a wedding.  There, Hannah finds out that her old flame, Ross Barton, is the “best man” at the wedding.  Their romance rekindled, Hannah also finds out that Ross is considering moving to Lake Eden.  Dealing with her emotions about Ross, Norman and Mike, Hannah is shocked when the judge who is supposed to hear her case is killed only moments before jury selection is scheduled to begin.  Because she was present at the time, Hannah is one of the suspects.  Of course, Hannah discovered the body and is now on the case.  This is an enjoyable addition to the series and people who like mysteries will probably enjoy it.  Fans of the recipes in these books will also like the additions in this book.

Delicious

Delicious by Ruth Reichl
380 Pages

Billie Breslin takes a job at the magazine Delicious where she quickly becomes known for her amazing palate which allows her to taste and identify ingredients.  Just when things are going great, the staff gets the news that the magazine is being closed down and only Billie will be kept on to answer reader questions.  Alone in the great mansion, Billie stumbles on a secret room filled with old letters from readers and soon is following the trail of letters of one Lulu Swan to James Beard during World War II. 

The book jacket calls Ruth Reichl a born storyteller and it isn't exaggerating.  While the novel isn't life changing or likely to become a classic, it is a story that captures your interest and you'll find yourself reading the book in one sitting.  Definitely a recommendation to patrons that enjoy a nice book with a touch of romance.