Book Review - Delicious

Delicious
Author: Sherry Thomas
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Bantam (July 29, 2008)

Synopsis

Famous in Paris, infamous in London, Verity Durant is as well-known for her mouthwatering cuisine as for her scandalous love life. But that’s the least of the surprises awaiting her new employer when he arrives at the estate of Fairleigh Park following the unexpected death of his brother.

The lawyer Stuart Somerset worked himself up from the slums of Manchester to become one of the rising political stars of England’s Parliament. To him, Verity Durant is just a name and food is just food, until her first dish touches his lips. Only one other time had he felt such pure arousal—a dangerous night of passion with a stranger, a young woman who disappeared at dawn. Ten years is a long time to wait for the main course, but when Verity Durant arrives at his table, there’s only one thing that will satisfy Stuart’s appetite for more. But is his hunger for lust, revenge—or that rarest of delicacies, love? For Verity’s past has a secret that could devour them both even as they reach for the most delicious fruit of all.…

Review

If you liked Sherry Thomas’ debut novel “Private Arrangements”, then prepare yourselves to be bowled over with her next powerhouse of a novel! Sexy, soaring, savage and oh-so good – that’s “Delicious” for you! Where to begin? The fantastic characterizations, the complicated story, the sheer romance or how it all ends? To repeat myself, it’s all just SO good! Thomas does a wonderful job of creating a story that’s not for the faint of hearts. There’s nothing simple or demure or conventional about “Delicious” or its protagonists.

I’m not a personal fan of stories where sex dominates everything else. Here, it’s the idea of it (and a distant memory) that continuously tantalizes the principals (and the readers) almost the length and breadth of the novel. The incredible part is, a great deal of it happens without the hero even seeing the face of the heroine (that’s just one of the suspense elements in this story). It’s a testament to Thomas’ excellent writing prowess that this true and tried plot device works marvelously.

Thomas’ female leads are generally unconventional, but Verity Durant takes the cake - literally and figuratively. Nothing startling by today’s terms, but her life experiences are totally unlike what one has come to expect from a heroine of a historical romance. At the lowest point of her life, this woman reinvents herself to cook like a master! Similarly with leading man, Stuart - an illegitimate son of a nobleman whose ambition and hard work has brought him close to being Prime Minister. Essentially they’re the same, but the societal abyss separating them is deeper than Marina Trench. Their love is enough to bring tears to the eyes of the readers. And yet, is it strong enough to overcome social prejudices? And therein lays the crux of this exhilarating romance story.

But the heart of this novel is Food! If you’ve never considered Food an aphrodisiac before, you will after reading this novel. The descriptions are so evocative that readers can almost taste the buttery Madelines or feel the texture of the pottage against their tongues. Thomas raises dishes from being just sustenance to ambrosia when crafted by Verity. It’s little wonder her employers are so easily seduced by her. You will be too!

In Short

Sherry Thomas is now on my auto-buy list. She is that good, fellow bookworms!

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Book Giveaway - Joy is the Greatest Gift

Originally Posted at my other blog, A Bookworm's Diary!

Ever since I was lucky enough to become a Mama, I've been re-discovering the joys of simple things that I'd taken for granted. The sight a sparrow chirping on the windowsill. A thunderstorm. The Moon floating in the night sky. When you see them through the wide eyes of a child, you can't help but appreciate them all over again!

It is that kind of innocent joy that Focus Friends, a Colarado-based company created by 2 Moms, seeks to spread and inspire with their new line of quality books and products for young children, ages 2 to 9, based on unique characters they call Focus Friends. Each Focus Friend character possesses the essence of a special gift or trait and shows children how to apply that quality to their lives.

Their debut title, Joy is the Greatest Gift, written by Marks and illustrated by award-winning artist Eris Klein, introduces the first Focus Friends character, Joyann, who shares with readers her gift of creating joy.

In a message meant for children (but applies equally well, if not more, to adults), Joyann talks of opening up the gift of joy and finding it everywhere. In beauty, in smiles, in nature, in family and friends and oh, in so many other things.

The book's positive message is one that I, as a parent, want to instill in my child and hence, will treasure this book always. I also have no hesitation in recommending it to other parents.

GIVEAWAY!

I'm giving away a copy of this book over at my other blog, A Bookworm's Diary!

It's really easy to enter and lots of ways to get extra entries. But remember, it's happening at my other blog, so please go there and enter. Entries will not accepted at this blog for this giveaway.

Deadline to enter is midnight CST on July 31, 2008. Good luck and (please) spread the word!


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Happy Independence Day, America!

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Book Review - Guide to Pirate Parenting

Orginally posted at Mommy Reviewed

Guide  to Pirate Parenting
Author: Tim Bete
Paperback: 136 pages
Publisher: Cold Tree Press

Synopsis

If you're like most parents, you long to raise your children as pirates but  just don't know how. In "Guide to Pirate Parenting," Cap'n Billy "The Butcher"  MacDougall provides everything you need to know to turn your little powder  monkeys into happy, healthy buccaneers.

In Guide to Pirate Parenting you'll learn: . Ten benefits of raising a pirate  . At what age your child should be able to remove a bottle cap by taking out his  glass eye and using his eye socket as an opener . Which offense requires  administering The Flying Dutchman Wedgie . How to prevent sogging the  quartermaster . The best place to maroon your disobedient child . How to remove  chewing gum or a giant octopus from your child's hair . The difference between  plundering and pillaging . How to convert your minivan into a pirate schooner .  When to smack your teenager in the side of the head with an oar.

Each information-packed section ends with "Your pirate's progress," a short  quiz that shows whether your child is reaching his or her pirate development  milestones.

Review

These days most of us rely on parenting books to get us through the day. Oft  times, these heavy tomes make a newbie parent feel inadequate or just overwhelm  them with a staggering amount of dos and don'ts. Well, relief is in sight!  Author Tim Bete has come up with a book that's a complete antidote to such  serious works. It throws a new light on parenting, a light-hearted light, that  is. The book, which purports to be a faithful representation of a conversation  between the author and Captain Billy, a modern-day pirate who fancies himself a  parenting guru and Dr. Phil combined, gives advice upon advice as to how to  bring up your child as an up-and-coming Jack Sparrow aka pirate.

Reading this tongue-in-cheek narrative will bring tears to your eyes....  tears of laughter, that is! The check list is a must-read and will surely be  cause of fresh mirth. It surely was in my household as I kept sharing choice  sentences, funnily re-worded nursery rhymes, to my hubby who soon gave up any  pretense of work as we smiled our way through this novel that reads more like a  fiction than a non-fiction. More than parenting tips, this hilarious book  provides tired, hassled parents with some much-needed and very welcome comic  relief.

In short

If you have a single serious parenting  book in your house, then its more than enough reason to have this book right  next to them. For the next time you feel like taking a break.
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*NEW* Scholastic Summer Kit Giveaway. Ends June 15.


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Children's Book Review - Roadwork

Roadwork!
Author: Sally Sutton, Brian Lovelock
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick

Synopsis

"Load the dirt. Load the dirt. Scoop and swing and drop. Slam it down into the truck. Bump! Whump! Whop!"

There are many big machines and busy people involved in building a road, and this riveting picture book follows them every step of the way. From clearing a pathway (SCREEK!) to rolling the tar (SQUELCH!) to sweeping up at the end (SWISH!), ROADWORK is sure to draw young onlookers with its rambunctious rhymes and noisy fun.

About the Authors
Sally Sutton is a playwright and author of two previous picture books. Brian Lovelock is a geophysicist as well as a fine artist. ROADWORK is his first picture book. They both live in New Zealand.

Review
Even without the accompanying explanatory and rhyming text, which explains the making of a road in a simple yet competent way, Roadwork exerts a magnetic influence on little readers, what with its bright colors, pictures of big machines and a lot of verbal sound effects such as 'thump', 'whoosh' etc. The authors have kept the text simple enough for children to read out aloud and understand the entire process of making a road.

It's recommended for ages 4-8, but I read it to my not-yet-2-year-old and he enjoyed it a lot, especially as I waved my hands enthusiastically and made the most of the sound effects! It also helps that there's some road construction going on near where we live and I can co-relate the book with the actual event. Thanks to the very helpful 'Machine Facts' that appears at the end of the book, I was also able to name the various machines which I otherwise wouldn't have been able to.

In Short
It was a success in my little household and I look forward to Kiddo reading it out aloud on his own.


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Book Review - Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide

Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 144 pages
Publisher: DK CHILDREN

Brush up on all things Indy with DK’s Ultimate Guide!

Relive all three of Indy’s known adventures, his past, and get a sneak peek into his latest quest! Featuring 146 pages of stills from all four films – including Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – along with the television series, The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, comic book art, and exclusive illustrations and maps commissioned for this book Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide is the definitive guide to Indiana Jones and his world.

• Foreword by Shia LaBeouf!
• Discover the characters, the action and the places of Indy’s world
• Behind the scenes information from the movies and video games
• Cross sections of key temples and places
• Maps and timelines of Indy’s journeys
• Merchandise and collectibles
• Comics, novels and role playing games
• Gems uncovered in the Lucasfilm archive.

Want to see a piece of the first complete companion to the adventures of Indiana Jones? Click here to uncover a map of some of the locations featured in Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide!

Review
What can I say about Indy that hasn't already been said?! You've seen the movies, now read the book. Generally the transformation of books into movies leaves a lot to be desired, as most readers know. But here, it's the other way around, but for the better. And as the title states, it is THE ultimate guide. I admit I haven't read any other Indy guides, but this is one is so thorough, so engaging and as much fun as the movies, that I feel it must be as the title states.

Glossy pages with movie stills, photos and cartoons going side by side with text boxes chronicle Indy's myriad adventures from a young boy onwards with lots of tiny gems of information strewn in between. For instance did you know that Indy fought in World War I or that he had an affair with the infamous Mata Hari or that he brushed up against Al Capone once. I didn't. After reading this guide I realize I've missed seeing 'The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones'. Something else to add to my wish-list!

All I knew of Indy came from the three movies (now four. and I dare not venture into the movies for the fourth so as to spare the ears of the Indy fans from the tantrum my toddler is bound to throw) that I had seen. And I had only seen them because my Dad was such a huge fan and took me to see them over my Mom's protests of "there's violence in those films and (oh, horror of horrors!) k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" To this day, I can't stop myself from calling my Mom and telling her I'm watching that forbidden-Indy movie on TV :)

The book covers not just the Indiana Jones movies and the TV show but also videos, comics, novels, role-playing games about Indy. A sort of be-all and the end-all of all things Indiana Jones. Since this book was released before the fourth movie, not much is revealed about this much-anticipated fourth addition to what was previously a trilogy. (do we now call it a quadralogy now?) Shia LaBeouf, the young man starring side by side with Indy... I mean Harrison Ford (well actually, they're synonymous now, aren't they?) in this fourth movie has written a nice foreword for this guide, and I heartily echo his sentiments (read above Dad taking me to see Indy).

In Short
So, it is with great delight that I look forward to exploring this guide at every opportunity I get and get a feel of Indy the person, the adventurer, the man afraid of snakes, and more than all, the dedicated archaeologist.

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Book Review - The Importance of Being Married

The Importance of Being Married
Author: Gemma Townley
Publisher: Ballantine Books

Unlike her name, Jessica Wild is serious, kind of boring and a workaholic. Then one day, an old woman she'd befriended at an old people's home, dies and leaves her 4 million pounds. There's a catch though... isn't there always?!

The money has been left to Mrs. Jessica Milton, as Jess had made up a fairytale of having married her handsome boss, Anthony Milton, to appease the boss-marrying-secretary romantic dreams simmering in the bosom of her old-fashioned friend.

With a lot of hi-jinks, a makeover and acting-completely-out-of-character, Jessica tries to flirt her way into becoming Mrs. Milton as a means of getting the money and thus honoring her deceased friend's wishes.

Review
The book sounds great, it even got off to a great start. But then it went steadily downhill. Despite there being lots of hilarious incidents, with some interesting side characters who contribute to the general hilarity, the story in itself is nothing to write home about. It's been done in countless chick-lits before and even before then, in those same boss-falls-for-secretary books as favored by Jess's old friend. The transformation of a mousy woman into a siren is nothing new and that is unfortunately, a big part of this novel.

But it's not all bad or gratuitous. With beauty comes confidence and in Jess's case, some much-needed confidence. This in turn leads her to take the bit between her teeth in both personal and work life. Her concept of 'Project Handbag' and the way she pulls it out of thin air is simply brilliant!

In Short
The excellent writing simply cannot compensate for the lackluster plot.


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Book Review - Garden Spells

Garden Spells
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publisher: Bantam Discovery; Reprint edition

Synopsis
The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers.

A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys—except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before. When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down—along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart.

Review
The author is par master at weaving lyrical botanical descriptions together with soul-tugging characterizations. Even the flora and fauna seem to have a personality of their own and while it may seem fantastic, there's no denying they're perfectly in keeping with this unusual story. At its heart, however, are some true and tried issues - of women struggling to find roots and acceptance, a mother's sacrifice for her child, sisters at once separated and united by their shared past, abandonment issues, and even some tender romance. Relationships are the root of this beautiful story and love in its various forms, its branches.

The mystical quality to the story comes from the peculiar powers the Waverleys and their magical garden, both have and it's a pleasure to see how the author captures this implicit essence in descriptions as beautiful as the garden itself. How they spread it, and use it for both good and evil, in dishes and elsewhere is a treat to read.

In Short
Go, pick up a copy now!

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Book Review - Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

Plum Lucky (A Between-the-Numbers Novel)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Synopsis

Stephanie Plum has a way of attracting danger, lunatics, oddballs, bad luck . . . and mystery men. And no one is more mysterious than the unmentionable Diesel. He’s back and hot on the trail of a little man in green pants who’s lost a giant bag of money. Problem is, the money isn’t exactly lost. Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur has found it, and like any good Jersey senior citizen, she’s hightailed it in a Winnebago to Atlantic City and hit the slots. With Lula and Connie in tow, Stephanie attempts to bring Grandma home, but the luck of the Irish is rubbing off on everyone: Lula’s found a job modeling plus-size lingerie. Connie’s found a guy. Diesel’s found Stephanie. And Stephanie has found herself in over her head with a caper involving thrice-stolen money, a racehorse, a car chase, and a bad case of hives.

Review

If you’re a fan of the Stephanie Plum series and haven’t yet tried out a between-the-numbers novel, then I’m here to tell you, you’re missing out. It’s a laugh riot like the other Plum novels, only minus Ranger and Joe. But don’t worry, there’s Diesel, the not-so-ordinary man to provide enough sexual zing to keep things (and Stephanie, for that matter) going. And then there is the usual assortment of side characters including the loud Lula, geriatric Grandma Mazur, and this time even a short Irish leprechaun (or so he likes to think). In fact there’s one particular car-wash scene involving this little guy that had me rolling on the floor, clutching my stomach laughing, howling my guts out.

In Short

Evanovich has been doing this a long time and there’s no one better who can combine suspense and hilarity in one inimitable screwball of a side-splittingly funny novel.

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Book Review - A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander

A Fatal Waltz

Author: Tasha Alexander
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (May 20, 2008)

Book Description :

At her friend Ivy's behest, Emily reluctantly agrees to attend a party at the sprawling English country estate of Lord Fortescue, a man she finds as odious as he is powerful. But if Emily is expecting Lord Fortescue to be the greatest of her problems, she is wrong. Her host has also invited Kristiana von Lange, an Austrian countess who was once linked romantically with Emily's fiancé, the debonair Colin Hargreaves. What Emily believes will be a tedious evening turns deadly when Fortescue is found murdered, and his protégé, Robert Brandon—Ivy's husband—is arrested for the crime.

Determined to right this terrible wrong and clear Robert's name, Emily begins to dig for answers, a quest that will lead her from London's glittering ballrooms to Vienna's sordid backstreets. Not until she engages a notorious anarchist in a game of wits does the shocking truth begin to emerge: the price of exonerating Robert can be paid only by placing Colin in deadly peril. To save her fiancé, Emily must do the unthinkable: bargain with her nemesis, the Countess von Lange.

Review

Filled with history and intrigue, this entertaining book introduced me to one plucky amateur sleuth, Lady Emily Ashton, in a time when such things were not only forbidden to ladies of noble breeding but also grounds for social stigma. This is not the first of Emily’s adventures, but it’s the first one I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The suspense begins from the first chapter where Emily is shocked to realize the weekend party she’s been invited to also counts among its guests one of her fiancé Colin’s former lovers, invited especially by their conniving host, Lord Fortescue, to cause friction between them. At once curious, suspicious, irritated and despondent, Emily has her work cut out for her even as events show every sign of going from bad to worse. And they do.

While the *whodunit* part of the mystery is easily solved, the intrigue produced by characterizations, settings and authentic events woven expertly into this fictional setting, last the span of the novel. From London to Austria, the events take Emily from one dangerous setting to another. The author is in her element when describing Vienna, a city with two faces. One is all charm and fun with artists, poets and musicians flocking its cafes, even as fairyland-like balls keep the denizens giddy with constant delight, all in a setting of winter wonderland. And then there is the contrasting dark side - a deadly epidemic of so-called suicides have become the city’s shameful hallmark, having even claimed the life of an Austrian prince, the Empress’ favorite son. Together with poverty, anarchists, spies and traitorous plots, Vienna is probably also the deadliest place for Emily to be.

The two major characters besides Emily are her fiancé Colin Hargreaves, a spy, and his former lover, Countess von Lange. The resulting love triangle adds an intriguing facet to the story, particularly when contrasted between the smoldering sexuality and worldliness of the foreign Countess against Emily’s more sedate ‘English-ness’, naivety and scholarliness. But there’s also no denying the blazing sexual tension between Emily and Colin that threatens to overpower them at times. The situation is conveniently resolved towards the end. Too conveniently it seemed to me, but the author manages to make it work by giving the characters a chance to experience catharsis through it.

Side characters are many and play small but significant roles. I particularly enjoyed reading the romance unfolding between Emily’s bluestocking friend Margaret and Oxford don, Mr. Michaels, told almost entirely through letters. I fully feel this couple deserves a story of their own.

In short

A must-read, if you like historical romantic suspense

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