The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken

The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken by Mari Passananti   267 pages

             Brendan and Zoe were college sweethearts and have been together for 10 years. Yet a month before their big wedding, Brendan decides to come clean with Zoe; he’s gay. Not only is he gay, but he’s found someone else.

            Zoe is heartbroken. How could she not see the signs? How could she not know? She and Brendan were perfect for each other, or so she thought. She dreads the New York City dating scene. Especially after all these years. To top it off, she’s not sure she’s still in love with her job as a headhunter. Her boss, Carol, is psychotic. Zoe and her colleagues have learned to gauge their boss’s moods by her makeup.  The wilder and uneven the makeup, the more out-of-control Carol is.

            With her desk practically in the office’s front window, Zoe tries to function on everyday tasks.  One day, a bouquet of roses arrives with a note: “You’ve been looking sad lately. Drink? P.S. I’m across the street, one floor up from you.”

            Enter Oscar Thornton. He could easily be the guy to pick up the pieces, but Zoe isn’t sure. He sure seems to be the man that all women want: romantic, sensitive, smokin’ hot, drop-dead gorgeous, and rich. But Zoe isn’t sure he really is all those things. There’s no way he could make the money he’s spending working in marketing, even it is in Manhattan. Zoe decides she MUST find out before she gives him her heart. How far will she go to prove to herself that Oscar isn’t what he seems?

            Hazards is a quick read. I think it fits comfortably into the chick lit/romance genres with a toes in women’s lit and contemporary fiction genre. It’s a different take on the boy meets girl plot structure. A great beach read; or stuck in the airport read.

Blood, Bones, & Butter

Blood, bones, & butter : the inadvertent education of a reluctant chef. Gabrielle Hamilton.
291 pages

        For anyone who has ever worked in the restaurant business, sometimes reading or watching shows about people who work in kitchens can feel a little too close to home. It can be like working an extra shift for the week.  Normally, I shy away from these types of memoirs because of this, (most definitely away from Hell's Kitchen or the like) but Gabrielle Hamilton does a fantastic job here. 
         The road for Hamilton begins in her childhood, in the kitchen of her mother- and then moves towards owning her own restaurant in New York many years later.  Her descriptions of the often soul sucking environment of kitchens both near and far are honest, as well as the joy one can also find in these places.  I found myself both rooting for her, laughing, and even disliking her in some parts- especially when she talks about cooks who burn themselves just not being careful enough.  Her descriptions of the food are by far some of my favorite parts as the flavors shift with the rhythms of her life.  Riveting, in a take no prisoners kind of way, which is how you have to be if you want to survive as a chef.

Don't Even Think About It

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski, 319 pages

A group of New York City high school students develop telepathic powers after a strange flu shot.  The popular girl struggles to keep her secret from her boyfriend, while her best friend explores the feelings of her long-time crush.  Best of all, the quiet anxious wallflower stops worring about what people will think of her (she already knows) and learns to enjoy life!

I enjoyed following this supernatural soap-opera about teens who discover and explore their new telepathic abilities.  But I wish that the book reflected this diverse NYC school.  The three main female characters were white and middle class, just like the three girls on the cover.  I think this limits the appeal of this story.

Live and Let Die

Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming, pages 247

This is the second book in the James Bond series by Ian Fleming. It follows closely after Casino Royale and in fact the casino adventure is mentioned in conversation. Again this book also has a movie of the same title though parts of it, like Leiter being attacked by a shark, were used in other movies.

When I first picked up the book from the Central stacks the theme song from the movie was playing in my head. As I immersed myself in the novel thankfully the song faded and I was able to bring my full attention the Flemings writing. Like Casino Royale, it is quite evident that this novel takes place in the late 50s to early 60s. Fleming spends some time describing how the African American population is just coming into its stride with notable scientists, doctors and writers, but still uses terms such as "negro" and "negress." His portrayal of that community is also very stereotypical.

As far as plot goes live and let die is a fast paced thriller that follows Bond as he tries to uncover and expose the elaborate smuggling ring of Mr. Big. This takes him on a terror filled journey through New York, Florida and finally to Jamaica. Along the way he meets the lovely and mysterious Solitaire who is a prisoner of Mr. Big. With some help from the CIA he confronts Mr. Big in an action packed conclusion that has sharks, a damsel in distress and fiery explosions.  

Fin & Lady

Fin & Lady by Catherine Schine, 288 pages

This novel is an engaging fictional account of a young, free spirit in 1960’s and and her orphan brother's coming-of-age as they become each other's family in a tumultuous time. Brief but beautifully described scenes shift from rural Connecticut to Greenwich Village and Capri. Mostly likeable characters deal with issues of romantic and family love and responsibility, quests for personal freedom, as well as the long-lasting effects on baby boomers and US society of the civil rights and political conflicts of the times.  Written in easy-to-read, short chapters and an endearing authorial voice.