The Secret History of Food by Matt Siegel

Reviewed by Christy

            Why is vanilla – an expensive and finicky spice – also used to call things “bland” or “boring”? Why were people afraid to eat tomatoes for hundreds of years? And how do food photographers keep ice cream from melting under hot lights? If any of these questions interest you, you might want to check out Matt Siegel’s quick read The Secret History of Food.

            This non-fiction work is an enjoyable, fast read packed with lots of interesting little facts to tuck away for trivia questions around the dinner table (my stepson’s preferred table talk). Siegel meanders throughout world history, bouncing from food topic to food topic but also discusses some modern day “secrets” about the food industry. (Those parts aren’t quite so fun.) You’ll learn that World War II soldiers made up their dream Christmas menus to pass the time. To paraphrase one soldier: “Full belly, you think of women. Empty belly, you think of food.” You’ll see how the extremely wealthy would quite literally play with their food just because they could – serving pig heads sewed onto chicken bodies and vice versa. And ice cream doesn’t melt for photographers because they use colored lard!

            The variety of food covered kept me engaged, and Siegel’s authorial voice is wry and often times funny. One particular favorite anecdote was when he discussed a BBC segment on a “spaghetti plantation” where farmers would pick the cooked noodles out of trees (an April Fool’s joke). According to Siegel, many people called into the station to find out just where this plantation was located so they could go. “Keep in mind this was 1957, 12 years after the creation of the atom bomb.” Ok, that made me laugh out loud. (The segment is available on YouTube for those interested!) My only real quibble is that sometimes Siegel’s commentary would veer into snide and smug territory, which I found unpleasant.

            Overall, however, I was pleased with this, and the audiobook narrator Roger Wayne does a great job as well. It’s a good book to pick up during a reading slump because it doesn’t overstay its welcome on any one subject, and it’s a breeze to get through.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

 

Reviewed by Christy

            2020 and 2021 have been difficult years; I don’t think anyone would argue with that. I myself have had to take frequent breaks from the news in an attempt to not let anxiety spiral. Because of this, I think fun escapism in books is more important than ever. And it doesn’t get much more fun than The Wisteria Society for Lady Scoundrels!

            Cecilia Bassingwaite is a proper Victorian lady. She takes care of her aunt, loves to read, and appreciates a good cup of tea. She also happens to be a lady pirate. Her aunt is a member of the Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, and Cecilia grew up learning to steal and blackmail. She hopes to become an official member of the society one day but her attempts are continually rebuffed for reasons unknown to her. When one of the members sends an assassin after Cecilia, she hopes this will be her foray into the exclusive group. Unfortunately, that assassin is Ned Lightbourne. A very handsome man who is smitten with Cecilia as soon as they meet. Hijinks ensue!

            The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is laugh-out-loud funny and an all-around delight. The audiobook is fantastic, and the narrator’s delivery made it even funnier. I could feel myself smiling like an idiot while listening because I was just so charmed. If you’ve ever watched an Old Hollywood screwball comedy, this book has the same energy. (With a little magic thrown in!) Because it’s so madcap, it can at times feel a little frenetic. However, the last quarter or so actually starts to feel a little long. But those are really the only negative things I can even think to say about it. It is the perfect anecdote to a long day or too much news watching.

This is the first in the Dangerous Damsels series, the next of which is due out in mid- March 2022. (It’s about witches!) I will be snatching that one up, preferably in audio as well, as soon as I can.

Five Tuesdays in Winter: Stories by Lily King

Reviewed by Kristin

I “picked up” Five Tuesdays in Winter: Stories by Lily King as an impulse while browsing Libby for a quick audiobook to download for the car. I had never read any of her other writing but thought I would give it a try. I’m glad I did.

Containing ten short stories, this volume goes deep into human emotions, most often veering from the typical path to something quite unexpected. Full of lost love, hesitant overtures, grief, coming of age, and an alternate universe or two, King’s stories are poignant and appealing, as well as sometimes disturbing. She develops her characters beautifully in just a few pages so that the reader feels they have always known these people.

By their very nature, short stories can’t be described at length or the review will contain the entire plot. I will say that I was particularly drawn to the title story, “Five Tuesdays in Winter” in which Mitchell is slowly drawn from his reclusive bookseller nature by a new employee. The characters come alive quickly, and I was mentally urging Mitchell to open himself to new experiences.

Another moving story is “North Sea” where Oda and her daughter Hanne take their first vacation after the loss of their husband and father. Oda does not want to be there, but feels obligated to provide the experience, which Hanne takes to after some grumbling. Some horseback riding lessons and other excursions are welcome, and open the lines of communication just a bit, with the pain of their loss coming closer to the surface.

Looking to see what else King has written, I discovered that she tends to write a novel about every five years, with this volume of stories following close behind her most recent full-length book. Based on this, she is worth the wait. Her other writing includes:

The Pleasing Hour (1999)

The English Teacher (2005)

Father of the Rain (2010)

Euphoria (2014)

Writers & Lovers (2020)

Tuesdays with Ambrea: The Guest List by Lucy Foley

 

Reviewed by Ambrea

 Will, a rising television star, and Jules, an ambitious magazine publisher, are set to marry on an exclusive little island off the coast of Ireland.  Bright, beautiful, and brilliant in their everyday lives, they look like the perfect couple and this event is set to be the perfect wedding.  They have invited all their closest friends and family out to celebrate their momentous day, but, then, someone turns up dead—and, now, everyone is a suspect.

I picked up an audiobook copy of The Guest List as part of BPL Book Club.  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Lucy Foley’s novel, so I was a little hesitant to start reading.  I mean, it was going to be narrated by a large cast (which is sometimes hit-or-miss for me) and it was a mystery/thriller (which isn’t my usual cup of tea); however, as I dived into the novel, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself hooked.

Not only was I enthralled by the story, I actually enjoyed the alternating narration between the characters—the bride, the bridesmaid, the best man, the plus one, and the wedding planner—because it helped to paint a larger portrait of both the wedding and the wedding party.  Although no one is a particularly good person, I found I enjoyed hearing from Hannah (the plus one) and Aoife (the wedding planner).

Hannah feels like a real person:  not perfect, like Jules (the bride) pretends to be, and not a train wreck, like both Johnno (the best man) and Olivia (the bridesmaid).  She’s someone who is caught up in the whirlwind of the weekend; someone who is struggling with her own hurt and jealousy, her floundering marriage; someone who sees the menace behind Will’s pretty face and his “boys-will-be-boys” pals. 

Aoife, on the other hand, feels more like the “straight-man” in this narrative.  She’s observant and smart, and she slips very easily behind the scenes.  She seems a little more omniscient than the other characters, simply because she’s the wedding planner and people tend to forget she’s there; she sees and hears more than anyone else, which makes her very important. 

As for the story, I was riveted very early in the book.  While Foley does take time to get you invested in her characters and gives you plenty of characters to despise, she makes a point of introducing readers to the murder long before she introduces them to the victim.  I was definitely caught in her web:  I spent much of the novel theorizing who the victim was—and hoping it was a particular character who deserved it—rather than dwelling on the actual murder or, even, the murderer.

I won’t mention any spoilers, because the plot of this novel hinges on discovering the murder victim, but I will say I felt an immense rush of gratification when Foley finally introduced “the victim.”

While I enjoyed The Guest List overall, I did find it to be both infuriating and slightly shocking.  First, it takes a very long time to build up to the climax; and, second, it broaches a number of difficult subjects, including suicide, murder, abuse, drug use, and infidelity, among other things.  It’s not a tame book in any respect, so be forewarned.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

 

Reviewed by Abby

The Flatshare is an adorably eccentric book about two strangers from London who live together in uncomfortably close quarters, but have never seen each other in person. Tiffy needs a new place to live after ending a messy relationship. She feels her best solution in the shortest amount of time is to answer an advertisement for a flat mate. Leon is a nurse who needs more money and decides on offering his small apartment as a means for extra cash. The pair feel they can reasonably cohabit the flat because they have opposing work/sleep schedules. Tiffy works during the day and would only ever be in the apartment at night and on weekends. Leon works overnight shifts and usually spends his days off out with his girlfriend or visiting his brother in prison. It would essentially be as if they lived in the flat by themselves. (Other than all of their stuff crowding most of the living space!)

Tiffy and Leon first communicate with good old-fashioned handwritten notes, which I found a little odd. Writing notes back and forth consistently isn’t really something you do with your “roommate,” other than to remind them about chores or bills. Why not text instead? (Sounds like the beginnings of a cute relationship to me!) Their hesitancy as strangers turns into a unique friendship similar to pen pals as the two learn more about each other through their messages and random items they leave behind in the flat. They practically become detectives in an attempt to uncover each other’s favorite foods, or how they get ready for work.    

Surprisingly enough, it takes quite a while for the two to cross paths for the first time since they lead such different lives. They somehow just keep missing each other. It gets to the point where they’re dying to know what the other looks like. Tiffy cheated a little bit by looking Leon up on Facebook, but that doesn’t count.

Months go by in the novel as Tiffy and Leon’s feelings for each other develop from curiosity, to friendliness, and even as far as subtle attraction as they begin to realize how much they enjoy each other’s company (or a lack thereof).

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for cheesy romance novels. It’s a guilty pleasure genre of mine. Although I typically choose to read Young Adult romance for its emphasis on diverse characters/situations, this novel still warmed my heart! I liked how independent and bold Tiffy was as a character. I also appreciated Leon’s kindhearted personality. The two complement each other well in their split narrations.

I chose to borrow the TN READS audiobook version of this title. I was pleased with the voice actors for Tiffy and Leon. I especially enjoyed the bonus-ending interview with the narrator of Tiffy, Carrie Hope Fletcher, and Beth O’Leary. I could really tell how much Fletcher enjoyed playing Tiffy. I also got to learn more about O’Leary’s thought process on writing the book.