bookbrig's reviews
1752 reviews

Kyotofu: Uniquely Delicious Japanese Desserts by Nicole Bermensolo

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informative slow-paced

2.5

There are some interesting concepts and tasty sound recipes in this book, but it doesn't have the best format or information for the recipes. The photos often don't match the instructions for the final food, and more than a few recipes feel best suited to a restaurant rather than a home kitchen. Which makes sense, considering the origins of the book, but I didn't find it as instructive or useful as other cookbooks I've tried. That said, I did make the matcha white chocolate cupcakes, and they had a lovely soft texture and clear, grassy flavor. So it's not a bad cookbook, but not one I'll pick up again I think. You might try it if you're looking for recipes with alternatives to some allergens, as it does include some creative swaps for baking that look like they could work well.

I also didn't love the interludes where various beauty benefits of ingredients were touted as reasons to eat these desserts. It felt a bit like that French Women Don't Get Fat book, all: well in THIS country people eat food that makes them beautiful, not like you Americans. Which isn't really what I'm looking for in a dessert cookbook, or any cookbook honestly. I'm not picking a dessert because it could improve my collagen intake and lead to fewer wrinkles-I'm just looking for something that sounds tasty.
How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

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emotional informative fast-paced
I read this thinking it might be a good fit for teen readers, and I do think it could work for teens with some clear content warnings. It's creative and moving, and deals with lots of teen relevant topics - college drinking/hookups, body image, racism, family dynamics, gender, and sexuality, plus there's engaging science and animal stuff. But it doesn't elide details. It's... graphic is the wrong word, but maybe just blunt? Honest. And that makes it both excellent and definitely not something I was in a great place to read right now. Check the content warnings on this one before you go in, because I didn't, and I wish I had. I wasn't really in the right place to read it, though I will happily recommend it to the right readers. The audiobook, read by the author, was excellently done. 
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Eat What You Watch: A Cookbook for Movie Lovers by Andrew Rea

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slow-paced

2.0

Not bad, but very much in the vein of other movie foodie cookbooks I've looked at. Light on instruction, heavy on lovely photography and styling. Nice to flip through, not something I'd pick up to cook from.
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

I first discovered Hanif Abdurraqib via this video of him reading the piece Defiance, Ohio is the Name of a Band (on YouTube here:  youtube.com/watch?v=2VJJJOdOfEE), and it was so good I wanted to read more of his stuff. Then I saw that he recorded the narration for the audio version of this book, so I gave it a try. It's SO good. Not just the writing or the narration, but both together and the asides added to the original text and also the forward and afterward by Ewing and Reynolds. There's so much going on in these essays, so even if you're like me and don't know all the musical artists that come up it's still going to draw you in and keep you listening. This is one I'm planning to buy in both audio and physical, for the different qualities each version bring to the work. 

Some are joyful and some are heart-wrenching and all of them are reflective and interesting and it makes for an excellent collection. Might be a good crossover read for your teens into music too. Highly recommend!
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That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Okay, I love this series. And I've already said it, but the characters are so wonderful and feel like real people, which makes these really quick reads for me. There are a few bits in each story that don't unfold the way I might have hoped, but I still ended up loving each story arc in the end. I have already gone back and reread bits of the earlier books, because I just can't get enough of the characters. ANYWAY. New favorite author acquired, I guess?
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Lay Them to Rest: On the Road with the Cold Case Investigators Who Identify the Nameless by Laurah Norton

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informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

This wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but it was informative and the author's voice and reading narration were engaging. I didn't realize the author was also a podcast host, and I'm not sure I would have chosen this read had I known. I'm not particularly interested in cold case, murder, or true crime podcasts, and I find that reading true crime is something I prefer to approach sparingly because it can easily lead to me feeling a little paranoid or creeped out. I am more interested in forensic anthropology stuff when it pertains to larger, mass crimes instead of individual murders. So this wasn't quite the right book for me, but for a reader who's curious about the work that goes into cold case exploration this was very informative and felt respectful of everyone concerned. 
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The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.
I love this author's work, and I was enjoying this, but it kept returning (had it checked out from the library on ebook), and by the time I got to check it out again, I'd lost the thread and found myself needing to start over. I'll probably give it another try again sometime in the future.
The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrik Svensson

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informative medium-paced

3.25

Ugh what an ending. Learned lots of eel facts!
Author lost their dad to cancer at the end of the book.
Not an ideal read for me right now.
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Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I'm just randomly picking books by this author to read now. Her characters are so much fun, and the romances are sweet and lovely. This was a quick, funny read with a werewolf and cupcakes and very little angst. If you want a Halloween romance, this would be a great choice! It reminded me the tiniest bit of the San Andreas Shifters series by Gail Carriger, but lighter/fluffier (...ha) in content and not gay.
The League of Lady Poisoners by Lisa Perrin

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informative medium-paced

3.0

This is a gorgeous physical book, with a lovely, gleaming cover and really engaging illustrations all throughout. I also loved the author's photo, which felt very in line with the book's art. But it reads a bit dry for my taste, though I did learn quite a bit and enjoyed some of the wry observations and humor in the text. I think I was hoping for something more like Rejected Princesses by Jason Porath, and this felt a little more... newspaper-esque? Anyway, not my favorite, but I don't regret reading it. It worked well as a bedtime book because each woman's story is a relatively bite-sized read.
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