Review: The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister (TLC Book Tours)

This much anticipated follow-up to Bauermeister's THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS takes the reader back to Lillian's restaurant, but not for more cooking lessons. Lillian's is once again used as the cozy backdrop for the story but in a more subtle way. You still get the loving feel of the ingredients that go into the dishes she serves there, but a few characters from the first book are the obvious stars, along with some new faces who help tell their life stories.

The story picks up several months after the first book ends while the cooking classes are in between sessions. Lillian is, of course, front and center and we learn how her life has changed in those months. Others from the cooking class that are big parts of the story are Chloe, the insecure, former busser that Lillian hired; Isabelle, the older woman who is struggling to hold on to her precious memories; and Tom, the widower who lost his chef wife way too young to breast cancer. We add to them, the story of Al, Lillian's accountant who has made Lillian's an important part of his daily life; his wife, Louise, who has never been to the restaurant, nor ever met Lillian; Finnigan, the very tall, perceptively quiet dish washer who seems to know more than his nineteen years should allow; and we also meet Isabelle's son, daughter and grandson.  Each of these additional characters create more layers to an already developing storyline that, like each course of a fine dining experience, is like a memorable, delicious treat.

My Thoughts:

I can honestly say I didn't have any idea where this second book was going to lead. With so many interesting characters in the first book, there were many options for the author to take. I had really taken a liking to Chloe and even had a protective feeling over her, so I was really happy that she was a center point in this book. It was nice to see how she was becoming more sure of herself and I especially enjoyed her relationship with Isabelle. The character of Al was a complete surprise and.  I initially found him to be a bit odd. His relationship with his wife, Louise, was also a bit strange yet later in the story, I felt bad for her for being left out of so much of Al's life. It certainly proves a point I, myself, learned in my own marriage: That you can live with the person you are supposed to be the closest to in life, but much later down the road find that not only does that person not know the real you, but you begin questioning everything you thought you knew about them. Its a harsh reality that some can overcome but many cannot. I'd have to say, however that the new character of Finnigan was my favorite. He is wise for his age, kinder than most, and has such a subtle way with people and that really struck a chord with me. I like the possibility of he and Chloe making a go of it. (It's OK, I really didn't give anything away there!)

To wrap this up, I'll simply say this book was the perfect sequel that also leaves so many more possibilities for future releases.  Not surprisingly, the prose was lovely and had the same warm ebb and flow as we've come to expect from this talented writer. Erica Bauermweister, with the help of Lillian, had me yearning to be in a kitchen, laying out fresh goods and produce just collected from the farmer's market, and planning what herbs and spices to add to make delcious treasures to serve people I care about. That is how chefs and people who love to cook feel about food and this book brings all that out while at the same time telling the character's stories beautifully. If you couldn't tell already, I really enjoyed this book and I will always look forward to what is next from this author

There are many stops on this blog tour and you can find the entire list here. Be sure to visit these other blogs for more insights and opinions to this nove..  Special thanks to Lisa @ TLC Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour.

THE LOST ART OF MIXING
Author: Erica Bauermeister
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Scheduled Publishing Date: January 24, 2013
Pages: 228
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Audio Version)

John Green's latest, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, is the first book I've read by this author.  I was encouraged to listen rather than read by many fellow book lovers who raved about the audio version narrated by the amazing Kate Rudd.  This story about two teenagers battling cancer who meet in a support group is not something that you'd think would make readers want to run out and grab up this book. But they would be wrong, so very wrong.

With this book, Green has written a beautiful, brutally honest, raw story of two extremely intelligent and wickedly witty teenagers who, through all of the ups and downs of their illnesses, still manage to keep trudging on without ever feeling sorry for themselves, yet being acutely aware that they, most likely, will die long before their parents. They do not hide this knowledge, but use it to get everything out of each day they have left. 

MY THOUGHTS

Plain and simple: I ADORED THIS BOOK!! It kind of seems funny (in an odd way) that a book with this topic would be something I would love but if you've read it, you completely understand. If you haven't, you need to read it NOW. 

The first thing you notice about this book is how perfect the characters are. Hazel Grace Lancaster is our narrator and main character. She is a very bright girl, battling lung cancer for most of her 16 years. She is a delight - sweet, smart and loves her parents and worries about them as much as they worry about her. The relationship she has with them is so honest and loving and so true to the story. Then there is Augustus Waters. He is the boy Hazel meets in Support Group and falls for instantly. Augustus is just as bright and interesting as Hazel and there is a connection immediately. Another favorite character is Isaac, Augustus' friend who after losing one eye, may also lose his other to cancer. But Isaac seems to be more upset about his girlfriend dumping him than being blind for the rest of his life. Just another way Green reminds us that life does go on. 

I love that Hazel is a reader and that her love of one book in particular has such an impact on her that it literally changes her life. I love that Augustus cares for Hazel so much that he reads the book and is just as into it simply because it's important to Hazel and Hazel is important to him. The conversations between these two young people are so stimulating and quick and witty that you sometimes forget they are kids. I got so sucked into their conversations and just held on trying to let every carefully selected word sink in. 

There are way too many things I loved about this book to name them all here in this post. I will simply summarize and say it was truly a treat to listen to. I was completely immersed in Hazel and Augustus' lives and felt a connection to them right away. I laughed, I cried and it made me think. I like books that make you think. Even though I knew this book would not have a happy ending (don't worry, I'm not giving anything away here), I couldn't stop listening. This book is a Wonder and not surprising, it is one of my favorites this year. If I had to say one thing about the possibility of you reading this book, I would say this: Please Don't Let The Premise Deter You From Reading This Remarkable, Inspiring, Lovely Book. 

A book about death and dying doesn't have to be dark and sad. John Green proved it in THE FAULT OF OUR STARS by showing us the possibilities we all have even under the most discouraging of circumstances and the things we can learn from each other if only we open our minds.  

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

Author: John Green

Publisher (Audio): Brilliance Audio

Published (Audio): January 2012

Length: 7 hrs 14 min

Source: Purchased (Audible.com)

Rating: 5 Wonderful Stars out of 5

Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

I don't quite know where to start with this one. Obviously, its a fantastic book with a heart-wrenching story of friendship, family and love. Khaled Hosseini is turning out to be one of my favorite authors. One reason is that he can create an incredible story of two women that is classified as fiction, but we all know there are thousands of Mariams and Lailas in Afghanistan who have lived lives very similar to these characters. And through his writing he captures our attention, gives us a connection to them and makes us want to keep reading. When I first started reading A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, I made the comment that I didn't like it as well as THE KITE RUNNER. Next time I won't make that assumption until I've read the entire book. Looking back, perhaps it wasn't that I felt I didn't like it as much, but more likely it was the content that bothered me. Being a woman living in a free country, the treatment of these two women by Afghan men and most especially, their husband was extremely disturbing to me. I didn't want to believe that severe physical and mental abuse and oppression still exists in the world today. Its a beautifully written book with a story that can't help but pull at your heart. So yes, I did like it as much as THE KITE RUNNER. I just have to separate my two feelings about the book and the reality of the brutal treatment of women in the name of Allah that is real even today in the Muslim culture.

The story of how Mariam and Laila's lives became entangled together is a journey into survival of everyday life during civil wars in Afghanistan. The relationship starts out as anything but friendly, being pitted against each other by their shared husband. But eventually they are able to see that they don't have to fear each other. In fact, they can be allies and make the best out of a terrible situation and try to bring some happiness into their miserable lives. Their relationship begins to evolve into something neither of them expected, but they both needed desperately. Simply by changing their views of each other it made a huge impact on their lives. It became two against one instead of each fending for themselves putting Rasheed, their husband, at a disadvantage. Hence, his manipulation of them grew more intense and cruel.

This story of friendship and love is beautifully woven into the simultaneous ugly madness of civil unrest happening around them. The brutality of war is as shocking as the love story is heart-wrenching. I found myself in tears many times and had to take moments to let it sink in before reading on. You can't help but feel deeply for the characters of this book. Not to mention the real people of Afghanistan. Some of whom are still living as refugees in neighboring countries after fleeing their homeland out of fear.

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS is an amazing book that brings a great fictional story together with real current events that affect our world today. I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen.